Reviews of 'Meeting the physical health needs of people with learning disabilities and people with mental illnesses’ 2009/10


UPDATE JULY 2010

The timing of some of our reviews has been reconsidered in order to allow CQC to complete its programme of  work to register adult social care and independent healthcare providers. These two reviews are currently ON HOLD and will recommence later in the year as per the timeframes indicated below.

What are the reviews about?

National reports have identified areas across primary and secondary care where there is poor provision of physical health care. These reviews will look at how well physical healthcare is being provided for people with learning disabilities and how well physcial healthcare is being provided for people with a mental illness.

We aim to:

  • Promote improvement in the way that the physical healthcare needs of people with learning disabilities and people with a mental illness are addressed
  • Publish robust and objective local assessments of performance
  • Ensure the worst performers develop action plans
  • Make local and national recommendations
  • Produce benchmarking data and shared learning from the best performers.

 The reviews will look at: 

  • Identifying needs: people with a learning disability or mental illness are properly identified and involved in the planning of their physical healthcare.  
  • Meeting essential care needs: people with a learning disability or mental illness have basic observations, monitoring, and care that meets their specific needs and keeps them safe.  
  • Keeping people healthy: people with a learning disability or mental illness receive effective support from services to enable them to live healthy lives 
  • Communicating effectively: appropriate methods of communication are used to support people with a learning disability or mental illness and their carers.

Which organisations and services will we be looking at?

We have been developing some questions about care records. Once finalised, these will be used alongside existing national data and trust level questions that we have already developed to help us understand how trusts are doing. We will collect data from: 

  • Acute trusts
  • Learning disability and mental health trusts who provide inpatient services for people with learning disabilities and/or people with mental illnesses 

What are the key dates for the reviews?

The first review will focus on people with learning disabilities, followed by people with mental health needs approximately two months later.

Timeframe for the meeting the physical health needs of those with learning disabilities review:  

  • Recommence development work - October
  • Data collection - Nov/Dec
  • Follow up work with top and bottom performers - Dec/Jan
  • Local results published - Feb 2011
  • National report published - Feb 2011

Timeframe for the meeting the physical health needs of those with mental illnesses review: 

  • Recommence development work - December
  • Data collection - Feb/March 2011
  • Follow up work with top and bottom performers - March/April 2011
  • Local results published - May 2011
  • National report published - May 2011

 Where can I get more information?

Introduction to the review (DOC, 58KB, opens in new window) 

Introduction to the review ('Easy Read' version) (PDF, 493KB, opens in new window)

How can I get involved?

If you would like to recieve updates by email, please contact us at: reviews.studies@cqc.org.uk