Who is seen by a community learning disability psychology service? Learning and future directions

Abstract

It is well documented that access to mental health services is obstructed by several barriers for certain people, that in turn perpetuate individual distress and future support-seeking. Awareness is continuing to grow, exacerbated by accounts of oppression and marginalisation of certain populations, and the health inequalities exhibited through the Covid-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, people with learning disabilities are often subject to ‘double discrimination’ if identifying with a marginalised group, making access to services even more difficult. Thus, it is imperative that learning disability teams are aware of current barriers, so widening access initiatives can be explored. This article highlights some of the research found regarding the inequalities faced for people with learning disabilities accessing psychology provision, as well as documenting our service evaluation project, to consider what can be done to create a more equitable service for our clients.Research shows that some people struggle more than others to be seen by learning disability teams.We looked at who was reaching the psychology team in our service. We found that we are reaching men and women equally. But we might not be reaching as many older adults. We also might not be reaching as many people from Asian ethnic backgrounds.We also looked at if the type of support we give people is equal. We found that there may be some differences in the care offered, dependent on gender, age, or ethnicity.It is important that we understand what stops people reaching learning disability teams, so that we can solve any problems. This will help as many people as possible get the care and support they might need.