Who is at risk? Adults with intellectual disability at risk of admission to mental health inpatient care

Marianne Durand; Rajan Nathan; Sophie Holt; Sharleen Nall-Evans; Ceri Woodrow

doi:10.1111/jar.13210

Who is at risk? Adults with intellectual disability at risk of admission to mental health inpatient care

J Appl Res Intellect Disabil. 2024 May;37(3):e13210. doi: 10.1111/jar.13210.

Authors

Marianne Durand¹, Rajan Nathan^{2

3}, Sophie Holt⁴, Sharleen Nall-Evans⁵, Ceri Woodrow^{1

6}

Affiliations

¹ Learning Disability, Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Aquired Brain Injury, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Chester, UK.
² Specialist Mental Health, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Chester, UK.
³ Chester Medical School, University of Chester, Chester, UK.
⁴ Children, Young People and Families, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Chester, UK.
⁵ Information Management and Business Intelligence, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Chester, UK.
⁶ Centre for Autism, Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Intellectual Disabilities, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Chester, UK.

PMID: 38382461
DOI: 10.1111/jar.13210

Abstract

Background: NHS England's Transforming Care agenda aims to reduce the number of adults with intellectual disabilities and autistic adults in mental health hospitals. The aim was to understand the demographic and clinical characteristics of those most at risk of admission.

Method: A cohort, retrospective study of adults using community intellectual disability services in the North West of England from 2018 to 2022 was undertaken.

Results: We compared 211 adults at imminent risk of admission to a mental health hospital and 249 at significant (but not imminent) risk on a validated risk stratification tool. Individuals at significant risk were more likely to have moderate intellectual disability. Individuals at imminent risk were more likely to have diagnoses of mild intellectual disability, autism, personality disorder, or psychosis.

Conclusion: By furthering our understanding of the clinical characteristics of those most at risk of admission, the findings inform more appropriate targeting of resources.

Keywords: autism; community team; inpatient; intensive support team; mental health; transforming care.

MeSH terms

Adult
Hospitals, Psychiatric
Humans
Inpatients
Intellectual Disability* / epidemiology
Intellectual Disability* / psychology
Mental Health
Retrospective Studies