Learning disability in-patient services have come under some scrutiny in recent times.
Here, Tom Crossland looks at an evaluation of the introduction of a care pathway approach in an inpatient service
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Farhana Mann summarises an observational study of mood instability in people with mental illness, which explores its relationship with days spent in hospital, frequency of admissions, the likelihood of being sectioned and the chance of being prescribed antipsychotics and mood stabilisers.
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Transforming Care, the government’s response to WInterbourne view, set some clear targets for the development of community services and the reduction on specialist inpatient bed numbers.
Here Alix Dixon looks at a paper, which used some illustrative case examples to explore some of the policy and practice issues around these targets.
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People with learning disabilities who have complex and challenging needs may find themselves placed in specialist services, sometimes distant from family and local support networks, often at high cost to the commissioners.
Here Ruth Northway looks at the findings of a survey of commissioning teams in south east England reporting on the nature and costs of such placements.
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Clarissa Giebel analyses an Australian qualitative study into family carer feelings and responses, when their loved one with dementia is admitted to hospital.
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17 RCTs were included in this review of oral care to reduce ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP). Evidence suggests it can reduce prevalence but not ICU mortality, length of ICU stay or duration of mechanical ventilation.
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Psychotropic medications are prescribed widely to many people with learning disabilities, but there remain many concerns about over, or improper use of such medications.
Here, Kate van Dooren looks at a study which collected data from 100 participants over a period of time to look at psychotropic medication and the relationship between dose, demographic factors and aggression scores.
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Tom Crossland looks at the findings of a review of the literature regarding women with learning disabilities and forensic needs
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Alison Turner reports on a recent study that explores a method for spotting opportunities for disinvestment and local perceptions of how disinvestment works in practice.
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Poor communication between people with learning disabilities, their carers and health professionals has been cited as an element of the explanation of health inequalities faced by people with learning disabilities.
In his debut blog, Tom Crossland looks at one study which used actors with learning disabilities as ‘standardised patients’ in the training of medical students in order to see if this might improve communication and diagnostic skills.
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