Low security: patient characteristics which lead to an offer of admission and staff perceptions in a unit for people with intellectual disability

Author:
YACOUB Evan
Journal article citation:
Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, 4(4), December 2010, pp.25-34.
Publisher:
Emerald

This paper focuses on the characteristics of patients with intellectual disabilities offered an admission to a low secure intellectual disability unit, and staff views of low security settings for people with intellectual disabilities. The project was based at a low secure NHS unit for people with intellectual disabilities which accepts referrals from regions within the M25. A case-controlled study was carried out for 33 patients referred to the unit over 42 months. The characteristics of 18 patients offered an admission were compared with those of 15 patients not offered an admission. In addition, 5 of the staff working on the unit were interviewed about the concept of low security. The findings showed that patients offered an admission were more able than those not offered an admission, posed more risks and were more complex diagnostically. Staff working on the unit agreed that their patients were complex, but felt that they were appropriately placed overall. The challenges of low secure provision were discussed by staff. Patients sampled were complex and heterogeneous, but not necessarily ‘forensic’, and their complexity requires sophisticated care plans and management strategies.

Subject terms:
learning disabilities, mental health problems, hospital admission, secure units, staff;
Content type:
research
Location(s):
England
Link:
Journal home page
ISSN online:
2044-1290
ISSN print:
2044-1282

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