Learning disabilities (health and wellbeing needs in South Tyneside)

Online Learning Disabilities Profile: Fingertips - Learning Disabilities

See Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Learning Difficulties JSNAA Appendix

Of the 891 people with Learning Disabilities known to the local authority, 70 live outside the borough of South Tyneside.

Of those known to services over 40% of those living in South Tyneside live with family or friends in settled long-term accommodation. Of these, over 25% are living with older family carers (aged 65+).

Information from the GP register, indicate we have 199 people aged 0 - 24, 463 people aged 25 - 54 , and 222 over the age of 55. 7 people known to the Local Authority are not recorded on the GP register and there is a significant higher group known from population data that is not on the GP register.

Data indicates that 1,315 referral were made to the Community Learning Disabilities in 2016. The predominate discipline referred to was community nursing services.

See Figures 6 and 7 Learning Difficulties JSNAA Appendix

Number of adults with Learning Disabilities in Assessment and Treatment Service

In South Tyneside there are currently 3 people in Assessment and Treatment

In South Tyneside There are currently 4 people in Specialist Commissioning.

Proportion of eligible adults with Learning Disabilities having a GP health check (%)

In 2017 , there was 884 people with learning disabilities known to South Tyneside and of this people 490 had a health action plan in place with a further 317 adults offered a heath check.

See Figure 8. Learning Difficulties JSNAA Appendix

Learning Disability Statistics: Mental Health Issues

Between 25 and 40% of people with learning disabilities also suffer from mental health problems

For children and young people, the prevalence rate of a diagnosable psychiatric disorder is 36% in children and adolescents with learning disabilities, compared with 8% of those who did not have a learning disability. These young people were also 33 times more likely to be on the autistic spectrum and were much more likely than others to have emotional and conduct disorders.

Children and young people with learning disabilities are much more likely than others to live in poverty, to have few friends and to have additional long term health problems and disabilities such as epilepsy and sensory impairments. All these factors are positively associated with mental health problems.

• People with learning disabilities demonstrate the complete spectrum of mental health problems, with higher prevalence than found in those without learning disabilities;
• The prevalence of dementia is much higher amongst older adults with learning disabilities compared to the general population (21.6% vs 5.7% aged 65+);
• People with Down's syndrome are at particularly high risk of developing dementia, with an age of onset 30-40 years younger than the general population
• Prevalence rates for schizophrenia in people with learning disabilities are approximately three times greater than for the general population (3% vs 1%)
• Reported prevalence rates for anxiety and depression amongst people with learning disabilities vary widely, but are generally reported to be at least as prevalent as the
• The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities cites the following figures based on Department of Health research undertaken in 2011.
• An estimated 286,000 children aged 0 - 17 in England have some form of learning disability (LD) (approximately 2% of the 0 - 17 UK population).
• Approximately 200,000 of these were receiving a formal level of SEN support in school (approximately 1.5% of the 0 - 17 UK population).
• Of these, 80% had a moderate learning difficulty and 5% had profound or multiple learning needs.
• More boys than girls had an identified Learning Disability.
• Learning difficulties are more common in poorer areas and among traveller children than among other groups.
• Compared to other local areas South Tyneside has slightly less patients aged 0 - 25 identified on the Learning Disabilities register (0.49% compared to a NTW figure of 0.60%).
• The number of Learning Disabilities patients who have received a Learning Disability Health Check in South Tyneside (45%) is slightly worse than the regional average (46%).
• Autism is the most common comorbidity across all areas.
• Challenging behaviours (aggression, destruction, self-injury and others) are shown by 10% - 15% of people with learning disabilities, with age-specific prevalence peaking between ages 20 and 49

Number of children and young people with learning disabilities

• Autistic Spectrum Disorder 5 - 9 years Learning Disabilities - 13
• Autism and Autistic Spectrum Disorder  9-10 year Learning Disabilities - 40
• People with learning disabilities are more likely to experience mental health problems (Emerson, E. et al, 2008)[9]. Estimation of the population prevalence of learning disability is problematic and should be treated with caution. The estimated number of children with a learning disability in South Tyneside are:
• 80 5 - 9 year Learning Disabilities,
• 175 10 - 14 year Learning Disabilities,
• 240 15 - 19 year Learning Disabilities,
• These rates for different age groups reflect the fact that as children get older, more are identified as having a mild learning disability. The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities (2002)[10] estimates an upper estimate of 40% prevalence for mental health problems associated with learning disability, with higher rates for those with severe learning disabilities. The estimated total number of children with learning disabilities with mental health problems in South Tyneside are:
• 35 5 - 9 year Learning Disabilities,
• 70 10 - 14 year Learning Disabilities,
• 95 15 - 19 year Learning Disabilities.

Emergency hospital admissions as % of total

Ideally, people who need treatment in hospital should be admitted before their illness reaches a critical stage where they have to be admitted as an emergency. This is particularly relevant for people with Learning Disabilities and autism where planning and preparation is crucial. However, the numbers of emergency admissions nationally are substantially larger for people with Learning Disabilities than for general population (50.0% vs. 31.1%).

In South Tyneside, the number of emergency admissions to general hospitals of adults with Learning Disabilities in 2013 / 14 represents 47.5% of the total number of people with Learning Disabilities known by services in the same year.

Proportion of adults with Learning Disabilities who are in paid employment

Paid work provides recognition of a valued social role, useful daytime occupation, important social opportunities, and in a few cases a helpful level of financial reward. Government policy has repeatedly emphasized the importance of maximizing work opportunities for people with LD since the publication of "Valuing People" (2001).

1% of adults aged 18 - 64 with Learning Disabilities were in paid employment in South Tyneside in 2015 / 16.

The National Autistic Society estimates that only 15% of adults with autism are in full-time paid employment. Gaining paid employment is a crucial part of tackling social exclusion as well as having obvious benefits to health and wellbeing

Learning Disabilities Expenditure

In 2015 / 16, South Tyneside spend on learning disabilities, adult social care and health, including care management and commissioned services, totaled £28,958,612.

The charts below show a breakdown of specific spend on learning disabilities and on which types of service.