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Tackling indifference: healthcare services for people with learning disabilities: national overview report - December 2009
- Author:
- NHS Quality Improvement Scotland
- Publisher:
- NHS Quality Improvement Scotland
- Publication year:
- 2009
- Pagination:
- 43p.
- Place of publication:
- Edinburgh
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) wrote quality indicators for services for children and adults with learning disabilities. The quality indicators are used to check how well health services are meeting people’s needs. During 2008–2009 NHS QIS looked at services for children and adults with learning disabilities in Scotland to find out what was working well and what could be better. The review teams found lots of examples of new and helpful projects. They also found that services for people with learning disabilities and their carers are improving. But there are areas that need to be better. Recommendations are listed.
Supporting information for tackling indifference: healthcare services for people with learning disabilities
- Author:
- NHS Quality Improvement Scotland
- Publisher:
- NHS Quality Improvement Scotland
- Publication year:
- 2009
- Pagination:
- 98p.
- Place of publication:
- Edinburgh
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) has reviewed access to general health services for people with learning disabilities and NHS QIS have travelled around Scotland to get a full understanding of the services and arrangements in place. NHS QIS have done this in partnership with people with learning disabilities and their carers, and with health and social care professionals which has added further richness to the findings. This review was wide ranging and there were many examples of innovative and effective practice. Some of these are recorded in Section 9 of this report. There is evidence that services are improving for people with learning disabilities and their carers and the report also identified areas where further improvement can be made. Recommendations are made in full in Section 6 of the report. Findings are in three key areas: awareness and implementation of the key Acts, particularly AWIA and DDA as they both support assessing individual need and improving communication across services, access to general health services, scheduled and out-of-hours (this also includes health promotion and improvement), and effective joined up working both across and within services which is critical to the delivery of safe, effective care. The ‘join’ between services should be invisible to individuals.
Changing day services: do you agree?
- Author:
- CAMPBELL Martin
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 16(3), September 2012, pp.205-215.
- Publisher:
- Sage
- Place of publication:
- London
Models of day services for people with intellectual disabilities in Scotland are changing. Buildings-based day services are being replaced increasingly with community-based provision in the form of alternative day opportunities. There has been some concern that a move to more flexible ‘alternative day opportunities’ is driven more by reduced budgets than a policy of modernising day services in response to individual needs. The aim of this study was to rate and collect views on existing day services in Fife, Scotland in order to inform the change process. A total of 60 questionnaires were completed by 36 carers, 18 service users, and 6 care staff. The questions were designed to evaluate day activities, care plans, opening times, transport and the most valued aspects of existing day services. The respondents indicated general satisfaction with existing day services, although half believed that day services should be reviewed. The most valued parts of day services were forming and building friendships, and a safe place to go. Any changes to these services should be responsive to needs and should achieve outcomes that are valued. The day service review process should be robust and transparent so that all views can be heard and the rationale for modernising day services should be clearly explained.
Effective communication training interventions for paid carers supporting adults with learning disabilities
- Authors:
- KYLE Seonaid, MELVILLE Craig A., JONES Andrea
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 38(3), September 2010, pp.210-216.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Carer communication skills contribute to the well being of individuals with learning disabilities. In order to meet the health needs of adults with learning disabilities, the provision of communication skills training for carers and professionals is important. This study developed and investigated the psychometric properties of a communication self-efficacy measure, the Glasgow-Communication Efficacy Scale (G-CES), for use with carers and professionals attending communication training interventions relevant to working with individuals with learning disabilities. The research team developed the G-CES based on their experience of delivering communication training, and working with adults with learning disabilities in clinical settings. The G-CES is designed as a self-report measure which measures self-efficacy across key areas of communication. A pre-post intervention study design was used to examine the reliability and sensitivity to change of the G-CES. Twenty-six paid carers who support adults with learning disabilities completed the G-CES before and after participating in a communication training intervention. The results showed that the scale had good internal and test-retest reliability. Carer communication efficacy increased after taking part in the training. Use of the G-CES in clinical services and research studies can help to develop the evidence base on the effectiveness of communication training interventions relevant to working with persons with learning disabilities.
Day care at the crossroads: an evaluation of the local authority contribution to day care services for adults with mental handicaps in Scotland
- Author:
- SEED Philip
- Publisher:
- Costello
- Publication year:
- 1988
- Pagination:
- 304p., diags., tables.
- Place of publication:
- Tunbridge Wells
Sequel to the preliminary "Which best way.." report.
An evaluation of adult training centres in Scotland
- Authors:
- SEED Philip, THOMSON Margaret, PILKINGTON Fiona
- Publisher:
- Great Britain. Scottish Office. Social Work Services Group
- Publication year:
- 1988
- Pagination:
- 60p., tables, bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- Edinburgh
Reports into research which highlighted the need for a national policy and favoured models of practice in ATCs.
Adults with learning disabilities known to local authorities in Scotland: a national dataset
- Authors:
- STUART Claire, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 20(1), 2015, pp.15-23.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This paper discusses collection of data on adults with learning disabilities who are known to local authorities in Scotland by Learning Disability Statistics Scotland. It looks at the the use of this data to support government policy and evaluation the implementation of policy. The paper provides insights to the project's processes, uses, challenges and future plans. It details the position of the data outputs within a policy context and the role these might play within a broader research agenda. Individual level data are requested from all 32 local authorities on adults aged 16-17 who are not in full-time education and those aged 18 and over. Annual data guidance is developed in conjunction with local authorities prior to the collection and is issued to standardise the process and manage avoidable error. The collated data are extracted from local authority administrative data and records are provided on each adult regardless of whether they are currently receiving a service. Anonymisation takes place prior to upload and strict guidelines are followed to ensure it is not possible to identify individuals. This paper will be of interest to those interested in data on learning disability and those with an interest in the analytical potential of an individual level national data set. (Edited publisher abstract)
The impact of staff training on the knowledge of support staff in relation to bereavement and people with an intellectual disability
- Authors:
- WATTERS Laura, MCKENZIE Karen, WRIGHT Rachel
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 40(3), September 2012, pp.194-200.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Despite a growing understanding of bereavement and mourning in the general population, the needs of individuals with a learning disability who are bereaved have often been neglected and misunderstood. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of a 1-day training course on the knowledge of care staff about supporting an individual with a learning disability who has experienced bereavement. The training included content on bereavement and grief, responses to bereavement in individuals with learning disability, and how to support an individual with learning disability after bereavement. The study utilised a questionnaire based, mixed design. Forty-eight participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 equal groups. The 2 groups were trained at different times, allowed group 2 to act both as a control group and later to receive training. Within- and between-group comparisons were made. The training was shown to have significantly improved care staff knowledge in all the areas measured. An analysis of staff knowledge at 1 month after training was not possible due to a low response rate.
If the support's right, she's right: an evaluation of Partners for Inclusion
- Author:
- MACINTYRE Gillian
- Publisher:
- Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 58p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- Glasgow
Partners for Inclusion is a voluntary organisation that provides support for adults with learning disabilities and mental health problems. It has adopted a person-centred approach to supporting people with ‘high’ or ‘complex’ support needs in order to provide services based on individual needs, wants and desires. This report presents the findings of an evaluation aiming to measure the progress made in the 4 years since the service was last evaluated. Specifically, it aimed to address: whether people are living the life they choose; whether people are living in the place that makes sense for them now; in what ways people’s lives have changed since receiving a service from Partners for Inclusion; and the experiences of staff who work for Partners for Inclusion. The research included a total of 50 interviews with individuals who receive services, support staff, family members, friends, and other professionals. The findings show that, for some people, lives have changed in significant ways since receiving support from Partners for Inclusion. However, further work is needed in areas of social inclusion, such as participating in education and employment. In common with other person-centred organisations, the staff often experience lone working with a resultant reduction in collegial support. A number of recommendations are provided in the areas of: personalisation; creating opportunities; and organisational capacity.
Stakeholders' views on measuring outcomes for people with learning disabilities
- Authors:
- YOUNG Anita F., CHESSON Rosemary A.
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Care in the Community, 14(1), January 2006, pp.17-25.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study aimed to discover views of managers and commissioners of services for people with learning disabilities in Scotland regarding (a) current approaches to service evaluation (as an indication of what is to be measured) and (b) healthcare outcome measurement. A postal questionnaire was used to survey 94 stakeholders from the NHS, Local Authorities, and non-statutory organisations across Scotland. Respondents' views were sought on current approaches to service evaluation within learning disabilities; outcome measurement; appropriateness of specified methods of measuring health outcomes; desired future methods of outcome measurement within learning disabilities; and service user involvement in care. A 77% (73/94) response rate to the questionnaire was achieved. Different methods of service evaluation were used by different stakeholders. Staff appraisal was the most frequently identified method (used by 85% of respondents). Specific outcome measures were used by 32% of respondents although there were differences of opinion as to what constitutes specific outcome measures. Overall there was strong support for goal-setting and reviewing (83%) and individualised outcome measures (75%) as appropriate methods for use with people with learning disabilities. The hypothetical question asking what outcome measures should be introduced for this client group had by far the lowest response rate (51/73). The overwhelming majority of all respondents, 68 (92%), reported user involvement in their service. Staff ambivalence to outcome measurement was evident in the research and respondents highlighted the complexity and multidimensional nature of outcomes for this service user group. Managers recognised that outcome measurement was expected but were uncertain how to go about it.