Assessment

Many people with a learning disability and/or autism should be able to access ‘mainstream’ mental health services, with reasonable adjustments being made as necessary. In accordance with the provisions of the Equality Act 2010, people with a learning disability and/or autism who need to be admitted to hospital should be assessed and treated in mainstream services wherever this is reasonably practicable. This is most likely to be the case for people with a mild-moderate learning disability and/or autism who have a mental health problem.

This specification is for services catering to those for whom reasonably adjusted mainstream services would be an inappropriate environment, and who therefore require care specifically designed for people with a learning disability and/or autism.

The aim of the Inpatient Facility service is to provide the following three core functions of support:

• Assessment (including for potential mental illness) of the causes of challenging behaviour, where it cannot be safely carried out in the community
• Treatment of mental illness where this is the cause of challenging behaviour (complemented by other interventions as appropriate), where it cannot be safely carried out in the community
• Reintegration of the individual back into the community after hospital treatment including provision of support/guidance to families and support providers

Consultant psychiatrists and care coordinators can refer an individual to the Adult Learning Disability Inpatient Service Suffolk via the Intensive Support Team. 

The referred person can expect a multidisciplinary assessment of their individual needs followed by a period of treatment to address those needs.