Learning disability and the Scottish Mental Health Act

Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities,Volume 11, Issue 2, March 2017. Purpose The purpose of this project was to investigate the use of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 for people with learning disabilities in Scotland, in the context of the recent commitment by the Scottish Government to review the place of learning disability within the act. Design/methodology/approach All current compulsory treatment orders including learning disability as a type of mental disorder were identified and reviewed. Data was collected on duration and type of detention (hospital or community-based) for all orders. For those with additional mental illness and/ or personality disorder, diagnoses were recorded. For those with learning disability only, symptoms, severity of learning disability and treatment were recorded. Findings 11% of compulsory treatment orders included learning disability as a type of mental disorder. The majority of these also included mental illness. The duration of detention for people with learning disability only was almost double that for those without learning disability. A variety of mental illness diagnoses were represented, psychotic disorders being the most common (54%). Treatment was broad and multidisciplinary. 87% of people with learning disability only were prescribed psychotropic medication authorised by compulsory treatment order. Originality/value There has been limited research on the use of mental health legisl...
Source: Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities - Category: Disability Source Type: research