Mental Health Services for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities – What Do Service Users and Staff Think of Them?
Abstract
Aim: The current qualitative study was funded by the Judith Trust to investigate service users', support staff and community team members' views of the services currently provided to adults with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems and what they consider to be desirable qualities for staff to possess. Method: In the first stage of the study, two focus groups were conducted with service users who have intellectual disabilities and mental health problems in addition to two focus groups with a variety of staff, all of who had recent experience of intellectual disabilities services. In the second stage, individual interviews were conducted with staff members employed in residential and community intellectual disabilities services. The number of participants totalled 54 (16 service users and 38 staff). A qualitative analysis ( IPA ) was adopted to identify dominant themes in the discourse of these stakeholder groups. Results: The analysis produced a number of themes that include: ‘ being interested’, ‘communication’, ‘competence‐promoting support’, ‘past/present/future links’, ‘prevention’, ‘reviews and liaison’, ‘working with carers’, ‘looking after staff’, ‘staff training/supervision’ and ‘interface between services’ . Conclusion: A number of suggestions for improving services are identified and discussed in the context of current service policies and procedures.
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Healthcare providers (both primary and acute health care) may lack specialist training in this field.
“Healthcare providers (both primary and acute health care) may lack specialist training in this field.20–22”
From Barriers and facilitators to primary health care for people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism: an integrative review (2020) · cites this paper as [22]
A warm, friendly, and caring attitude from healthcare providers enables service users to access healthcare facilities and discuss sensitive health concerns.
“A warm, friendly, and caring attitude from healthcare providers enables service users to access healthcare facilities and discuss sensitive health concerns.22,34–37”
From Barriers and facilitators to primary health care for people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism: an integrative review (2020) · cites this paper as [22]
Such training may not be routinely undertaken owing to resource constraints.
“However, while such training may be essential, it may not be routinely undertaken owing to resource constraints.22”
From Barriers and facilitators to primary health care for people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism: an integrative review (2020) · cites this paper as [22]
Poor attitudes held by both healthcare professionals and non-health professionals, across both primary and acute healthcare provider settings, is a recurring theme in the review's identified studies.
“Poor attitudes held by both healthcare professionals and non-health professionals, across both primary and acute healthcare provider settings, is a recurring theme in the review’s identified studies.22,31–33”
From Barriers and facilitators to primary health care for people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism: an integrative review (2020) · cites this paper as [22]
Despite recognising the importance of spending time getting to know the service user, some healthcare providers can struggle to find extra time to achieve this familiarisation.
“However, despite recognising the importance of spending time getting to know the service user, some healthcare providers can struggle to find extra time to achieve this familiarisation.22”
From Barriers and facilitators to primary health care for people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism: an integrative review (2020) · cites this paper as [22]
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- Authors
- Kroese, B. S., Rose, J., Heer, K., & O'Brien, A.
- Affiliations
- University of Birmingham (GB)
- School of Psychology University of Birmingham Birmingham UK
- Venue
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2012-12-18
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 3-13
- ISSN
- 0952-9608 (ISSN-L)
- 1360-2322
- 1468-3148
- OpenAlex
- W2018431551
- Cited by
- 52
- References
- 14
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 4.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Down syndrome and intellectual disability research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychiatric care and mental health services
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Family and Disability Support Research
- Keywords
- intellectual disability, mental health services, service user perspectives, support staff, employee skills, residential services, community service, communication, staff training and supervision, caregiver support, service integration, prevention, stakeholder perspectives
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Attitude of Health Personnel, Female, Health Services Accessibility, Helping Behavior, Humans, Male, Mental Health Services, Intellectual Disability, Middle Aged, Professional Competence, Professional-Family Relations, Professional-Patient Relations, Staff Development, Caregivers, Patient Satisfaction, Focus Groups, Persons with Intellectual Disabilities, Trust, Qualitative Research, Young Adult
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