Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services outcomes for people with learning disabilities: National data 2012-2013 to 2019-2020

Dagnan, D, Rodhouse, C, Thwaites, R and Hatton, C ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8781-8486 (2022) Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services outcomes for people with learning disabilities: National data 2012-2013 to 2019-2020. Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, 15. e24.

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Abstract

Primary care interventions for people with common mental health problems in England are primarily delivered through Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services. One of the priorities for IAPT services is to reduce inequalities in access and outcomes for potentially disadvantaged populations. This paper uses national data from the years 2012-2013 to 2019-2020 to present a comparison of service process and therapy outcomes for people with learning disabilities. Annual data for people with learning disabilities, people with other recorded disabilities and people with no recorded disabilities were extracted from a publicly available, national data source. Data are presented graphically with relative risk calculated for each variable and year, and show a broadly similar pattern of waiting time access for people with learning disabilities and people with no disabilities, and a broadly similar proportion of people with learning disabilities and people with no disabilities who finish treatment. However, people with learning disabilities have poorer clinical outcomes than people with no disabilities. We discuss adaptations to IAPT processes and therapy provision that may further support people with learning disabilities' access to IAPT services. Key learning aims (1) To describe how IAPT services record disabilities, and in particular record whether a person identifies themselves as having a learning disability.1 (2) To explore the differences in processes and therapy outcomes for people with learning disabilities compared with people with no disabilities and people with other disabilities. (3) To understand adaptations to IAPT processes and therapies that may make IAPT services more accessible to people with learning disabilities.