TY - JOUR

T1 - Variations in rates of inpatient admissions and length of stay experienced by adults with learning disabilities in England

AU - James, Elaine

AU - Hatton, Christopher Rowan

AU - Brown, Mark

N1 - This article is (c) Emerald Group Publishing and permission has been granted for this version to appear here. Emerald does not grant permission for this article to be further copied/distributed or hosted elsewhere without the express permission from Emerald Group Publishing Limited

PY - 2017/9

Y1 - 2017/9

N2 - PurposeThe present authors sought to (i) analyse rates of inpatient admissions for people with learning disabilities in England (ii) identify factors associated with higher rates of inpatient admission.Design/Methodology/ApproachThe present authors undertook secondary analysis on data submitted as part of the Transforming Care programme in England.Findings2,510 people with learning disabilities in England were inpatients on 31st March 2016. Our findings indicate that: (i) people with learning disabilities are at risk of higher rate of inpatient admission than can be explained by prevalence within the general population; (ii) this risk may be associated with areas where there are higher numbers of inpatient settings which provide assessment and treatment for people with learning disabilities.Practical ImplicationsOur analyses are consistent with the hypothesis that geographical variations in the risk of people with learning disabilities being admitted to inpatient services are not consistent with variations in prevalence rates for learning disability. The findings support the hypothesis that building alternatives to inpatient units should impact positively on the numbers of learning disabled people who are able to live independent lives. Originality ValueThis is the first study which examines the data which commissioners in England have reported to NHS England on the experience of people with learning disabilities who are admitted as inpatients and to report on the possible factors which result in higher rates of inpatient admission.

AB - PurposeThe present authors sought to (i) analyse rates of inpatient admissions for people with learning disabilities in England (ii) identify factors associated with higher rates of inpatient admission.Design/Methodology/ApproachThe present authors undertook secondary analysis on data submitted as part of the Transforming Care programme in England.Findings2,510 people with learning disabilities in England were inpatients on 31st March 2016. Our findings indicate that: (i) people with learning disabilities are at risk of higher rate of inpatient admission than can be explained by prevalence within the general population; (ii) this risk may be associated with areas where there are higher numbers of inpatient settings which provide assessment and treatment for people with learning disabilities.Practical ImplicationsOur analyses are consistent with the hypothesis that geographical variations in the risk of people with learning disabilities being admitted to inpatient services are not consistent with variations in prevalence rates for learning disability. The findings support the hypothesis that building alternatives to inpatient units should impact positively on the numbers of learning disabled people who are able to live independent lives. Originality ValueThis is the first study which examines the data which commissioners in England have reported to NHS England on the experience of people with learning disabilities who are admitted as inpatients and to report on the possible factors which result in higher rates of inpatient admission.

KW - Learning disabilities

KW - Intellectual disability

KW - Mental health problems

KW - Health inequalities

KW - Transforming Care

KW - Inpatient admissions

U2 - 10.1108/TLDR-02-2017-0010

DO - 10.1108/TLDR-02-2017-0010

M3 - Journal article

VL - 22

SP - 211

EP - 217

JO - Tizard Learning Disability Review

JF - Tizard Learning Disability Review

SN - 1359-5474

IS - 4

ER -