Unlocking Excellence
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Unlocking excellence: examining effective community mental health care for people with intellectual disability.
IRAS ID
341137
Contact name
Daniel Acton
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 6 months, 25 days
Research summary
People with intellectual disability experience higher rates of mental illness compared to the general population but have difficulty seeking support and face barriers when accessing high quality community-based healthcare. Professionals can also struggle to understand the specific needs of people with intellectual disability, leading to misdiagnoses, inappropriate care/treatment, and inadequate levels of support. This can result in community placement breakdowns and unnecessary inpatient admissions.
It is imperative that community-based mental healthcare for individuals with intellectual disability is grounded in the best available evidence to improve outcomes and quality of life. This approach will also contribute to shaping policies and services.
This research aims to identify effective practices in community intellectual disability services for mental health care, reducing inpatient admissions.Objectives include understanding mental health needs, identifying gaps and exemplary practices, exploring challenges faced by professionals, understanding experiences of individuals with intellectual disability and their families/carers in accessing mental healthcare, and developing evidence-based practice recommendations.
To address the aims of the research we will:
1. Conduct a longitudinal cohort study analysing electronic patient records at five mental health trusts of adults with intellectual disability accessing services for mental health issues between (2021 – 2024) and prospectively from (2025-2026) to identify factors that contribute to positive or negative outcomes. We will examine factors influencing positive or negative outcomes, including examining patterns in diagnoses, treatment effectiveness, and patient responses to interventions.
2. Conduct a survey of health and social care professionals working in community intellectual disability health/social care services to understand the challenges in meeting the mental health needs of people with intellectual disability.
3. Conduct Semi-structured interviews with people with intellectual disability and their families/carers to understand the lived experiences of mental health issues and accessing specialist community-based services.
REC name
London - Fulham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/LO/0218
Date of REC Opinion
14 Apr 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion