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Why you should read this article: • To understand the importance of the early recognition of health issues in people with learning disabilities • To enhance your knowledge of the range of communication skills nurses may use to engage service users in a systematic health assessment • To contribute towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of CPD (UK readers) • To contribute towards your professional development and local registration renewal requirements (non-UK readers). An important element of the role of the learning disability nurse is to support service users to maintain their health, particularly in relation to the early detection of health issues and timely access to appropriate treatments. One way of achieving this is by undertaking a systematic health assessment, of which effective communication is a central component in terms of identifying the person's communication needs and using appropriate communication methods to meet those needs. Effective communication can engage the person in the assessment process as well as identifying their own experience of their health. This article explains the importance of using a systematic approach to health assessment and describes various elements of communication involved in this process. The authors include a fictional case study to outline how a systematic health assessment works in practice and the range of communication skills nurses may use to engage service users in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]