A man living with cancer died after being given multiple overdoses of morphine
Clinical
<p>Historically, the delivery of care to people with learning disabilities has been
<p>The term ‘intensive interaction’ refers to an approach to working with people wit
<p>The new White Paper, Valuing People (Department of Health 2001), sets an ambitiou
<p>The life expectancy of people with Down syndrome has increased dramatically over
<p>Numerous studies over the years have shown increased seizure rates in the learnin
<p>In recent years much has been written about the health needs of people with learn
<p>For most people, leaving home is a critical event symbolising the transition to g
<p>The National Health Service and services for people with learning disabilities ha
<p>By the middle of this year health and social work agencies in Scotland are expect
<p>It is widely acknowledged that individuals with a learning disability may have in
<p>From the publication of the Briggs Report (HMSO 1972) until the early 1990s, a qu
<p>Service provision for supporting of people with learning disabilities who are at
<p>There is an increasing awareness of the importance of the emotional and social lives of people with learning disability (Gardner 1997). Difficulties in interpersonal and emotional functioning have, however, long been seen as defining features of learning disability.
<p>Kathleen Fray had Down’s syndrome and later developed dementia. Her sister Margaret had cared for Kathleen for over 30 years prior to her hospital admission, and continued to play a large part in her care right up until Kathleen’s death, four years ago (Fray 2000).
<p>Recent care policies and philosophies for people with a learning disability stress their individuality and human rights (Tyne and O’Brien 1981), especially the right to lead a life of their choice.
<p>Despite successive government policies that emphasise user-involvement and social inclusion, paternalistic attitudes in service provision for vulnerable adults persist.
<p>The advent of community care and the closure of long stay hospitals for people with learning disabilities have transferred responsibility for primary health care provision for this group to general practitioners (GPs).
<p>This article describes a range of group work interventions undertaken by the Portsmouth Community Nursing Team and addresses questions of both clinical and cost effectiveness in relation to group work.
