Who is at risk? Adults with intellectual disability at risk of admission to mental health inpatient care

Abstract

Background: NHS England's Transforming Care agenda aims to reduce the number of adults with intellectual disabilities and autistic adults in mental health hospitals. The aim was to understand the demographic and clinical characteristics of those most at risk of admission. Method: A cohort, retrospective study of adults using community intellectual disability services in the North West of England from 2018 to 2022 was undertaken. Results: We compared 211 adults at imminent risk of admission to a mental health hospital and 249 at significant (but not imminent) risk on a validated risk stratification tool. Individuals at significant risk were more likely to have moderate intellectual disability. Individuals at imminent risk were more likely to have diagnoses of mild intellectual disability, autism, personality disorder, or psychosis. Conclusion: By furthering our understanding of the clinical characteristics of those most at risk of admission, the findings inform more appropriate targeting of resources.