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One and Two Year Outcomes for Adults with Learning Disabilities Discharged to the Community

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Michael Donnelly ,
Sinead McGilloway ,
Nicholas Mays ,
Martin Knapp ,
Shane Kavanagh ,
Jennifer Beecham  and
Andrew Fenyo
Michael Donnelly*
Affiliation:
Health and Health Care Research Unit, The Queen's University of Belfast
Sinead McGilloway
Affiliation:
Health and Health Care Research Unit, The Queen's University of Belfast
Nicholas Mays
Affiliation:
Health and Health Care Research Unit, The Queen's University of Belfast
Martin Knapp
Affiliation:
Personal Social Services Research Unit, London School of Economics and Centre for the Economics of Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry, London
Shane Kavanagh
Affiliation:
Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Kent, Canterbury
Jennifer Beecham
Affiliation:
Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Kent, Canterbury and Centre for the Economics of Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry, London
Andrew Fenyo
Affiliation:
Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Kent, Canterbury
*
Dr M. Donnelly, Health and Healthcare Research Unit, The Queen's University of Belfast, Institute of Clinical Science, Mulhouse Building, Grosvenor Road, Belfast BT12 6BJ
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Abstract

Background

Long-stay patients with learning disabilities (n=214) were assessed in hospital and 12 and 24 months after discharge in order to examine the effects of relocation.

Method

Each resident acted as his/her own control in a prospective repeated-measures design. Skills and behavioural problems were assessed by keyworkers. Self-perceived quality of life was obtained during interviews with researchers who also completed an environmental checklist of the residents' accommodation.

Results

There was little or no change in peoples low pre-discharge skill levels. Certain aspects of problem behaviour improved after 12 months, although socially unacceptable behaviour increased slightly. People were less depressed (P ⩽ 0.01) 12 months after discharge (n=119) and were more satisfied (P ⩽ 0.05) with their new ‘homes’ (n=108). There were few changes in the pattern of activities or the social networks of people 12 months later. Little or no further change in outcomes was reported 24 months after discharge.

Conclusions

The implementation of the deinstitutionalisation policy in Northern Ireland has been limited by the predominance of residential and nursing homes and the lack of ‘ordinary’ accommodation. There is a need for purchasers and providers to give more attention to ways in which the principles of normalisation could be incorporated in the process of contracting and delivering services.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 168 , Issue 5 , May 1996 , pp. 598 - 606
Copyright
Copyright © 1996 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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