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mental health

Within mental health services,
especially mainstream services, attitudes
were often poor, with a sense among
mainstream staff that people with learning
disabilities belonged elsewhere. One
article referenced a member of staff in a
general inpatient unit telephoning a
consultant of a learning disabilities unit
saying, “We’ve got one of yours” (Donner
et al, 2010: 8), despite the patient not
being known to the specialist service.
When living in the community, the same
sense of being ostracised is reported. One
research participant describes being
treated as if they were invisible: “We ask a
question… they just ignore you… just walk
by… without saying a word” (Sutton and
Gates, 2020: 6).
People with learning disabilities and
mental illness also face the double “Being listened to” was a main theme and, in services viewed as good, professionals paid attention
jeopardy of being stigmatised and
discriminated against twice over because There was a lack of accessible learning disabilities, which reflects a long
these two populations are highly information and many services were history of viewing people within this
stigmatised by society. incredibly difficult to navigate. This meant group as “other” and excluding them from
In addition, there is some evidence to people often had to depend on those mainstream services intended for all.
show that people with learning disabilities involved in their care instead of being able It is clear from the small amount of
are further stigmatised by those who live to rely on reasonable adjustments being literature that exists that there needs to
with mental illness but who do not have a made despite these being a legal be more, better-quality and fully inclusive
learning disability – which then places requirement under the Equality Act 2010. research into the experiences of people
them on the furthest edges of an already Even among the few articles that were with learning disabilities and co-occurring
marginalised population. from a lived experience perspective, only mental illness.
For people with learning disabilities one of the 12 had an easy-read version. Such research is important not only to
who end up in inpatient settings, the This means that, for the most part, people ensure that the voices of a significantly
sobering Out of Sight – Who Cares? report involved in the research, who had agreed marginalised population form part of the
from the Care Quality Commission, to share their experiences, will have been evidence base but also to stimulate
published in 2020, details the ongoing unable to access the findings. discussion around enduring policy and
stigma, discrimination, segregation and practice gaps by using flexible research
abuse that an unacceptable number of Respect and autonomy approaches and reframing inclusion as
people with learning disabilities and Even with the small amount of research an imperative. n
mental illness suffer at the hands of available, there were several common ● For a copy of Emma Dalrymple’s
service providers. themes around positive experiences of dissertation, Another Point of View: an
The first published inquiry into the mental health services. Evaluation of Mental Health Services from
abuse of people with learning disabilities The most frequently mentioned theme the Perspective of People with Learning
happened more than 50 years ago, as a was importance of relationships and being Disabilities and Co-occurring Mental Illness,
result of a horrified nurse blowing the respected, followed by having control, email her on e.dalrymple@ucl.ac.uk
whistle about the inhumane treatment of choice and autonomy when working with
patients he witnessed at the Ely Hospital professionals. This included being allowed Emma Dalrymple is carer and educator for
in Cardiff (see page 30). to take risks or make decisions that others her daughter, who has a range of
The inquiry called for widespread might not agree with, rather than having disabilities, and patient and public
reform and lasting change and, in the those decisions made on their behalf. involvement lead for a number of research
passing decades, we have seen the The final theme was being able to have projects at UCL Great Ormond Street
introduction of human rights legislation meaningful opportunities in life, whether Institute of Child Health
and a repeated series of almost identical related to work, learning or relationships.
inquiries, reports and recommendations. These positive experiences seem to sit References
Yet it seems that very little has changed within the aims of mental health recovery Donner B, Mutter R, Scior K (2010) Mainstream
for people with learning disabilities whose and the policy intentions of the past in-patient mental health care for people with
mental health needs are left to escalate. 20 years yet, given this evidence, the gap intellectual disabilities: service user, carer and
Another common theme was how between intentions and practice does provider experiences. Journal of Applied
frequently people experienced problems not appear to be narrowing for people Research in Intellectual Disabilities. 23: 214–25
Sutton P, Gates B (2020). Narrating personal
accessing services, particularly because with learning disabilities and mental experience of living with learning disabilities
mainstream professionals lacked health problems. and mental health issues in institutional and
understanding, including reports that this It seems that ambivalence continues community settings: a case study. British
Seán Kelly made people with learning disabilities feel among professionals and across society to Journal of Learning Disabilities. https://doi.
accommodate and include people with
unsafe in general settings.
org/10.1111/bld.12338.
www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 35 No 2 | Winter 2022 25