Health and social care access for adults with learning disabilities across the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020
Tizard Learning Disability Review
ISSN: 1359-5474
Article publication date: 1 September 2021
Issue publication date: 30 September 2021
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present data about access to health and social care services during the COVID-19 pandemic for adults with learning disabilities across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected directly from 621 adults with learning disabilities and through separate proxy reports by family carers and paid support staff of another 378 adults with learning disabilities. The data were collected between December 2020 and February 2021 and concerned the use of health and social care services since the start of the first COVID-19 national lockdown in March 2020.
Findings
Access to and use of health and social care services significantly reduced for adults with learning disabilities across the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic between March 2020 and February 2021, with many people not receiving any services at all during that period. Similar patterns were seen across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. However, data suggest some variations between countries for some services.
Practical implications
Future pandemic planning must ensure that access to these essential services is not completely lost for adults with learning disabilities and their family carers, as it was in some cases during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Originality/value
This is the largest study about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health and social care services for adults with learning disabilities in the UK. The authors primarily collected data directly from adults with learning disabilities, and worked with partner organisations of people with learning disabilities throughout the study.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The Coronavirus and people with learning disabilities study team members are Prof Richard Hastings (University of Warwick), Prof Chris Hatton (Manchester Metropolitan University), Prof David Abbott (University of Bristol), Dr Stephen Beyer (Cardiff University), Dr Jill Bradshaw (University of Kent), Dr Sue Caton (Manchester Metropolitan University), Dr Samantha Flynn (University of Warwick), Dr Amanda Gillooly (University of Glasgow), Dr Nick Gore (University of Kent), Prof Pauline Heslop (University of Bristol), Prof Andrew Jahoda (University of Glasgow), Dr Roseann Maguire (University of Glasgow), Anna Marriott (National Development Team for Inclusion), Dr Edward Oloidi (University of South Wales), Dr Peter Mulhall (University of Ulster), Prof Katrina Scior (UCL), Dr Laurence Taggart (University of Ulster), and Professor Stuart Todd (University of South Wales).
Funding: Jointly funded by UK Research and Innovation (MR/V028596/1) and the National Institute for Health Research (COV0196).
Citation
Flynn, S. and Hatton, C. (2021), "Health and social care access for adults with learning disabilities across the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020", Tizard Learning Disability Review, Vol. 26 No. 3, pp. 174-179. https://doi.org/10.1108/TLDR-06-2021-0014
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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