Secure inpatient services for people with intellectual disability: lessons from developing a new service

Abstract

Secure inpatient services for people with intellectual disability are provided in a piecemeal way, often without strategic commissioning. We describe how we conducted a needs assessment that enabled us to develop a new service for men with intellectual disability who often had substantial additional mental health needs. Consulting with all stakeholders was essential, and we found the service user and family perspectives particularly helpful. We had to make special arguments for some aspects of the treatment programme. We found that foundation trusts that are able to develop services at financial risk, before contracts are signed, enabled development to take place at a faster pace. Good relationships with community teams have been essential, as has true integration with mainstream forensic services. Maintaining a relationship with commissioners was a particularly challenging aspect, perhaps because the development was provider‐led. Despite these challenges, many people with intellectual disability with very high needs are being supported much nearer to home.

Citation

Hall, I., Yacoub, E. and Yusufi, B. (2010), "Secure inpatient services for people with intellectual disability: lessons from developing a new service", Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, Vol. 4 No. 4, pp. 15-24. https://doi.org/10.5042/amhid.2010.0671