Learning disabilities and autism NHS Service

Every patient is encouraged to be fully involved in their own care and treatment planning, from referral to discharge. Those who cannot be involved because of the level of their learning disability are supported with the involvement of carers, family and other professionals. Regular Individual Care Reviews (ICR), Care and Treatment Reviews (CTR) and Care Programme Approach (CPA) meetings take place to discuss, agree and plan treatment and discharge, according to individual needs.

Patients are encouraged to participate in educational and work skills programmes to help them develop their skills in a community setting. Some services offer Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network (ASDAN) courses, which provide flexible and engaging programmes and qualifications that help people develop skills for learning, work and life. There are also courses organised by local Recovery Colleges, offering a variety of skills-based programmes, to help enhance the individual experience. Social and leisure programmes are also offered and include visits to local amenities or places of interest further afield, such as animal sanctuaries or nature areas for example.

We aim to help as many people as possible learn:

• Greater interpersonal skills
• Coping skills and stress management techniques
• An understanding of their abilities and challenges and how to overcome these
• How to effectively engage in groups or individually
• How to communicate and co-operate with others
• How to develop concentration and the ability to manage emotions

Our teams work closely with families and carers (where agreed with the patient) in order to offer the very best support to those in our care. Upon consent from the patient, family and carers are involved in treatment planning from referral to discharge. They are also invited to Care Programme Approach (CPA) meetings.

Clinical treatment programmes are provided by a full multidisciplinary team, which usually consists of:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Occupational therapy
• Speech and language therapy
• Nursing
• Practice nurses
• Healthcare workers
• Social workers
• Clinical nurse managers
• A visiting GP

Additional clinical support can be provided to meet an individual’s needs, such as chiropody and adiabetes specialists.

Our teams work closely with the patient, their family and all key stakeholders, to collaboratively work towards moving through a discharge pathway effectively, safely and as efficiently as possible.

Our experienced teams work with individuals that would benefit from programmes that:

• Holistically seek to support and improve co-morbid mental health conditions
• Incorporate Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) to reduce incidences of aggression and agitation

We accept referrals UK-wide. Information received by a site upon referral will initially be reviewed by an appropriate clinician, who will ascertain if the patient is suitable for the service. They will then discuss the case with the wider team and identify suitable staff members to carry out an assessment, taking into consideration any specific needs of the individual.

The assessing team will carry out a thorough assessment and discuss their findings with the multidisciplinary team which will determine if the service can meet the needs of the individual.  We aim to carry out the assessment within two working days of receiving the referral. Once completed, a full assessment report, including costings, will be provided to the referrer.

Once an admission is agreed, the patient will be provided with information about the service and will be given the opportunity to ask any questions. The patient (along with their family and/or carers) is welcome to visit the service at any point on the referral journey. We understand that coming to a new service can be a stressful experience for some and therefore we encourage the use of familiarisation visits where appropriate.

We accept referrals from:

• Provider trusts and local systems
• NHS England specialised mental health case managers
• Community mental health teams
• Medium secure settings
• Mental health acute/psychiatric intensive care units (PICUs)/secure inpatient
• Prisons and courts
• Social services and the police