Occupational Therapy News OTNews March 2020 | Page 53

PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES
New review evidences the realities of health and social care services for people
with learning disabilities
A new review from the National Institute for Health Research
(NIHR) looks at research evidence on health and social care
services for people with learning disabilities.
People with learning disabilities have poorer health and
die earlier than the general population and work is needed to
improve how health and social care services are organised and
delivered to people with learning disabilities.
This themed review, Better health and care for all, brings
together 23 published studies funded by the NIHR examining
aspects of health and social care services for the more than one
million people in the UK with a learning disability.
The review considers the evidence produced by studies
in four key areas of health and care: identifying health risks;
keeping well in the community; staying well and safe in hospital
and supporting positive behaviour. It also identifies studies that
have been especially good at involving people with learning
disabilities in the research.
Key findings in the NIHR review include:
• little more than half of people with learning disabilities are
having annual health checks with their GP;
• people with learning disabilities have poorer health than the
general population and are more likely to be admitted to
hospitals as emergency cases;
• swallowing problems are common among people with learning
disabilities and put them at risk of respiratory infections;
• depression and anxiety are more common in people with
learning disabilities than the general population; and
• general hospitals vary greatly in how well they identify and make
adjustments for patients with learning disabilities.
Dr Jean O’Hara, Former National Clinical Director for Learning
Disabilities, NHS England, said: ‘We know that people with learning
disabilities still experience poorer health outcomes and are more
disadvantaged than others.
‘This is why we have made reducing health inequalities and
improving quality of care for people with learning disabilities one of
the top priorities in the NHS Long-Term Plan….[research] evidence
can give us insights into the services and support needed for every
individual to have the best chance of living a full and happy life.’
Better health and care for all is available to download from:
https://discover.dc.nihr.ac.uk/content/themedreview-04326/
better-health-and-care-for-all. For further information, visit the NIHR
website: www.nihr.ac.uk.
Help influence future research
into occupational therapy
We’ve launched the second survey of our Priority
Setting Partnership to identify the top research
priorities for occupational therapy in the UK.
Wha
t
think you
matt
ers
Previously, we asked respondents to submit their
questions about occupational therapy that they felt
research could answer. In our second survey, we’re
asking you to help us prioritise those questions.
By taking part, you will be helping to create a shortlist
of questions from which the top 10 priorities will be
agreed at a workshop in June.
Once you’ve taken the survey, please encourage the
people you support, their carers and your fellow
health and care colleagues to take part too.
You have until 5pm on Tuesday 14 April 2020
to complete the survey at rcot.co.uk/otpsp
in partnership with
N209
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