This new report, from National Voices and Think Local Act Personal, considers what matters most to mental health service users in terms of their experience and outcomes. The report accompanies an earlier publication which considers evidence from research and consultations on what patients and service users want and expect from support which is person-centred and coordinated. “No [read the full story…]
Anyone can suffer from mental illness, but current mental health services may not be appropriate for the whole population. People from black and minority ethnic groups may have different requirements, and this guide aims to help commissioners reduce inequalities by procuring good health care for all. This guidance has been produced by the Joint Commissioning [read the full story…]
Five years ago, Lord Bradley published his report looking at the situation of people with mental health problems and people with learning disabilities in the criminal justice system. The Bradley report made a number of recommendations and this summer sees the publication of a progress report on these recommendations. The Bradley commission, established as an [read the full story…]
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is used in mainstream services and the evidence for its effectiveness is growing. For people with learning disabilities, there is a growing evidence base for in relation to psychological interventions more generally, although much of the much of the research on CBT has come from forensic secure units. CBT Randomised controlled [read the full story…]
This new paper shares findings from small-scale research into the perceptions and experiences of third sector organisations in NHS and local authority-led commissioning of mental health services. The role of the third sector is of particular interest, given current policy directions towards greater integration, parity of esteem, personal health budgets, community mobilisation and cross sector working. The report notes [read the full story…]
There is evidence that the people with learning disabilities have a higher prevalence of mental health issues than those in the general population. The rate of dementia is higher and people with Down syndrome are at particularly high risk of developing dementia, with a much earlier age of onset. The most recent guide for commissioners [read the full story…]
A short while ago, the Learning Disabilities Elf made a small contribution to the Justice for LB campaign by trying to draw attention once again to the evidence base. Wednesday (day 91) saw the publication of a key report from the Care Quality Commission and Challenging Behaviour Foundation, which tells the stories of three young [read the full story…]
During her presidency of the BMA, Professor Sheila Hollins has hosted a number of seminars on issues faced by vulnerable groups in the NHS, one of which looked at the issues facing people with learning disabilities. This report by the BMA Board of Science aims to move towards ‘parity of esteem’, a term which is [read the full story…]
There is considerable evidence that people with learning disabilities in residential settings are prescribed anti-psychotic medication to help reduce behaviours that challenge the service. However, there can be significant side effects from these powerful drugs and for some people these can be as debilitating as the impact of the behaviours. In some instances the effects [read the full story…]
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) focuses on evoking desired behaviour rather than on diminishing existing problem behaviour. It is goal directed and collaborative in its approach to helping people achieve behavioural change. The therapist works to help establish a vision of a desired future using a series of precisely worded questions. In SFBT, the goal of [read the full story…]
