Abstract
Aims and MethodTo analyse violent and threatening behaviour occurring within an in-patient service. We surveyed recorded incidents over a 6-month period.ResultsNinety-six incidents were recorded. The patients involved were assessed as being aware of their actions. Police were contacted in five cases. No charges were pressed.Clinical ImplicationsWe believe that violence and threatening behaviours are excessively tolerated in learning disability units. Reasons for this include a staff culture of accepting offending behaviour and an unwillingness or inability to involve the police.
Highlights
We believe that violence and threatening behaviours are excessively tolerated in learning disability units
The learning disability service within Enfield Community Care NHS Trust has a 10-bed non-secure assessment and treatment unit, serving local and surrounding London health districts. It caters for people with challenging behaviour and mental health problems that cannot be managed in the community
Responses from individual police officers included comments that they could not pursue any matter involving a patient who has a learning disability and that it is impossible to press charges against a patient held under the Mental Health Act
Summary
We believe that violence and threatening behaviours are excessively tolerated in learning disability units Reasons for this include a staff culture of accepting offending behaviour and an unwillingness or inability to involve the police. The learning disability service within Enfield Community Care NHS Trust has a 10-bed non-secure assessment and treatment unit, serving local and surrounding London health districts It caters for people with challenging behaviour and mental health problems that cannot be managed in the community. A survey of attitudes of staff to offending behaviour among people with learning disability in Cambridgeshire (Lyall et al, 1995) showed that tolerance of offending behaviour was extremely high It showed an apparent inability of the police to prosecute even when serious crimes (including sexual offences and assault) were reported. We aimed to analyse the nature of - and the response to - violent and threatening acts and behaviours occurring within our in-patient learning disability service
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