09.11.12
‘Double whammy’ for people with learning disabilities and autism
A study commissioned by the NHS Confederation’s Mental Health Network (MHN) has found that people with autism and learning difficulties may be subject to a ‘double whammy’ of setbacks if they require mental health support.
People with learning disabilities and autism have more extensive mental health needs than the rest of the population, and it is also often difficult for them to obtain access to the services they desire or require, the study shows.
The MHN calls for services be improved and suggests introducing routine mental health assessment as part of GP health checks, the adjustment of appointment format, times and duration to better accommodate mental health needs, and increasing the availability of information about mental health services in a variety of accessible formats.
Paddy Cooney, the interim director of the MHN, stated: “Sector bodies are legally obliged to make reasonable adjustments to make sure their services are as accessible and effective for people with any protected characteristic, including learning disabilities or autism.
“But our researchers found that while there are some excellent examples of where mental health services are helping people with a learning disability or autism, these are not yet common across England.
“It is the 21st century and with today's technology, we can share information and good practice in a split second. What we must do is make sure that the best practice, which currently exists in pockets of England, becomes standard across the country.”
The research for the briefing was undertaken by the National Development Team for inclusion (NDTi), and it was collected through interviews and discussions with more than 100 service users, family carers and professionals and through an evaluation of already existing data. Both projects were commissioned by the Department of Health.
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