Experiences of acute hospital services among people with mild to moderate learning disabilities
There is a wealth of literature on access to health care for the general population, but there is little knowledge about the experiences of people with learning disabilities accessing acute hospital services.
This article is based on the views of seven people with mild to moderate learning disabilities who took part in two focus groups in which they discussed their experiences of acute hospital services.
Three main themes were identified during the discussions:
Treat me right, with subordinate themes of valuing people, dignity, respect, and therapeutic relationships.
Hidden in plain site, with subordinate themes of accountability, staff attitude and vulnerability.
Health care for all, with subordinate themes of inappropriate communication systems, inaccessible information and the environment.
Although the study was small, the findings resonate with current literature and add to the growing body of knowledge relating to acute hospital services and the needs of people with learning disabilities.
