With the deadline for submitting reimbursement claims for the government approved “Oliver’s Training” programme fast approaching, it is vital that providers understand the background to and importance of the Oliver McGowan Code of Practice.

Oliver McGowan’s sad and “potentially avoidable” death in 2016 cast a spotlight on the need for better learning disability and autism understanding, awareness, and training across the care sector, including in care and nursing homes.

The 2025 LeDeR (Learning Disabilities Death) review found that people with learning disabilities and autistic people are still unfortunately dying significantly younger and that avoidable deaths continue to be common.

Since 1 July 2022, all CQC-registered care providers, irrespective of their type of service, needed to ensure that their staff receive appropriate training on learning disability and autism. This means training appropriate to their role – whether it be kitchen staff and front of house reception staff, or care staff and nurses. Providers need to be confident that the training that they deliver provides all of their staff with the knowledge and competence to provide personalised and compassionate care for individuals with learning disabilities or autism. This is part of the Health and Care Act 2022.

On 6 September 2025, the Oliver McGowan Code of Practice was laid in Parliament and became final. The Code builds on existing regulatory, staffing and training requirements and it sets out expectations on the content of learning disability and autism training, how it should be delivered, and the “importance of person-centred care which is crucial to identify and support a person’s needs sooner, ultimately improving outcomes and tackling health inequalities” (Stephen Kinnock, Minister of State for Care).

How can care providers use the Code?

CQC-registered providers can use the Code to understand the training standards, and the culture that both the regulator and commissioners will expect to find in their service.

The Code sets out four standards:

1. The minimum curriculum – a “core capabilities framework”
2. Training in practice – staff must receive training that enables them to tangibly put their learning into practice
3. Training delivery – minimum amount of training that is to be co-produced and co-delivered by people who have a learning disability or autism
4. Training content – all training received should be evidence-based, and quality assured

It is important for providers to understand that the Code is in place in addition to their obligation under the 2022 Act to ensure that their staff receive appropriate training. Providers should, in theory, already have appropriate mechanisms and training packages in place for their staff. Now, providers can use the Code to guide them going forward and as a reminder of the heart of the training.

Any training is meant to be meaningful and effective. The essence of the learning from Oliver’s death, and his parents’ advocacy ever since, has been for individuals with learning disabilities or autism to receive personalised, compassionate, and well-informed training.

Reimbursement for Oliver’s Training

Providers will be aware that limited reimbursement is available for those who use the government approved “Oliver’s Training” programme (Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism). The funding pot is limited and the deadline for submitting reimbursement claims is 23:59 on 20 March 2026. Any claims submitted after this deadline will only be considered on an exceptional case-by-case basis.

Providers can read more about the eligibility for reimbursement here. It must be noted that it is only Oliver’s Training that can be refunded; not any other training programme. Providers will need to be able to evidence the training delivered and the training provider, and the relevant financial details such as the amount paid for the training, the date of payments made, VAT numbers, etc. Providers will also need to be able to demonstrate the course being completed, and by whom.

Next steps

Providers can read more about CQC and Oliver McGowan training guidance in our article – “Essential Compliance: CQC’s View on the Oliver McGowan Code of Practice”

Providers need to be mindful of CQC’s position on the training and the Code. We are seeing CQC consider the training and embedding of such in their inspections and in line with Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture.

We have extensive experience in supporting providers in challenging inspection reports or enforcement action, where CQC might be concerned about training and culture in respect of learning disability and autism.