Specialist intellectual disabilities in-patient services

It is recognized that general in-patient services will not be suitable for
everyone who has intellectual disabilities and requires hospital admission
for their mental health problems. These people will generally have one or
more of the following characteristics:
They have difficulty in communicating their needs
They are vulnerable
They are easily suggestible
They have strict routines and rituals
Their behaviour is severely challenging
They have complex needs that need specialist
multi-disciplinary input
They need specialist monitoring of medication
They require a longer stay
These people are more likely to use specialist in-patient services for people
with intellectual disabilities. Specialist in-patient services may be called
many different names such as assessment and treatment units or intensive
support units, but they will generally serve the same purpose. These
services are usually smaller than general wards and are not necessarily
based on a hospital site. They are staffed by nurses, both mental health and intellectual disabilities trained, with daily support from psychiatrists and occupational therapists. Each person on the ward will be assessed and an appropriate treatment package devised and implemented. The length of stay for the person will vary depending on the complexity of needs. People on the ward may or may not be detained under the Mental Health Act.
Unfortunately not every local area has such a service, and even those
that do appear not to have enough beds. Due to this there are a significant
number of people with intellectual disabilities with mental health
problems living in specialist in-patient units miles away from the person’s
home and family.