Deprivation of liberty applications concerning people with learning disabilities in England: trends over time and geographical variation

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse trends over time and geographical variation in Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) applications for adults with learning disabilities.Design/methodology/approachSecondary analysis of national- and local authority-level statistics collected and reported by NHS Digital.FindingsThere has been a sharp national increase in the number of completed and granted DoLS applications regarding adults with learning disabilities since the 2014 “Cheshire West” Supreme Court judgement, with a greater proportion of completed DoLS applications being granted. There is extreme geographical variation across local authorities in England in the rates at which DoLS applications are being made and granted.Practical implicationsThe extreme variation in DoLS applications regarding adults with learning disabilities is highly unlikely to be a function of differences in mental capacity and living circumstances experienced by adults with learning disabilities across local authorities, and urgent attention needs to be paid to this variation.Originality/valueThis is the first paper to analyse the geographical variation at local authority level for completed and granted DoLS applications regarding adults with learning disabilities.