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Psychiatric inpatient care for adults with intellectual disabilities: generic or specialist units?
K Xenitidis1, A Gratsa, N Bouras
1South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, York Clinic, Guy's Hospital, London SEI 3RR, UK. kiriakos.xnitidis@slam.nhs.uk
Background:
When adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) require a psychiatric admission, general adult mental health units are often used. Specialist units have emerged recently as a care option but there is only limited evidence of their effectiveness. Thus this study aims to describe and evaluate the effectiveness of a specialist inpatient unit and report on the utilization of generic and specialist inpatient services.
Method:
All patients admitted to a specialist ID psychiatric unit were evaluated on admission and immediately after discharge on a number of outcome measures. In addition, they were compared with those admitted to general adult mental health units covering the same catchment area.
Results:
Significant improvements were demonstrated within the specialist unit cohort on measures including psychopathology, global level of functioning, behavioural impairment and severity of mental illness. The specialist unit patients had a longer length of inpatient stay but were less likely to be discharged to out-of-area residential placement.
Conclusions:
Specialist units are an effective care option for this group of people.
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