Anti-psychotic drugs 'given to learning disabilities patients'

More people with learning disabilities from black and minority ethnic groups had been given anti-psychotic drugs on a regular basis than in white ethnic groups - 72.6% (284 out of 391) compared with 61.8% (1682 out of 2,720) - analysis of a census has revealed.

The findings were based on survey responses from 104 (58 NHS and 46 private) provider organisations in England on behalf of 3,250 service users in September last year.

The patient group included people with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorder and/or behaviour that challenges.

The census revealed that of the 56.6% (1,841) of patients who had experienced an "incident", more women experienced every type of incident than men. The HSCIC said the census will be re-run in September 2014 in order to identify change and reductions in inpatient care to community care and support.

Read: Anti-psychotic drugs 'given to learning disabilities patients'

The Health and Social Care Information Centre has said there appears to be an association between hands-on restraint and the administration of anti-psychotic medication on inpatients with learning disabilities.

Kingsley Manning, chair of the HSCIC, said: "The Learning Disabilities Census, and this further analysis, is an important contribution to understanding how episodes such as those seen at Winterbourne View Hospital can be avoided in the future."

Some 40% of the 2,220 given these drugs experienced at least one instance of hands-on restraint compared to 21.5% of the 1,030 who were not given any of this medication. And 78% of service users were subject to the Mental Health Act on census day, compared with 22% classified as informal patients.

Read: Anti-psychotic drugs 'given to patients with learning disabilities'

A census has revealed that anti-psychotic medication is given to more than two thirds of inpatients with learning disabilities in specialist units.

The findings also showed that over half (56.6%) of the patients had experienced an "incident" during the three months preceding the census date such as self-harm, an accident, physical assault on the patient, hands-on restraint or seclusion.

The analysis of the 2013 Learning Disability Census was commissioned in response to events at Winterbourne View Hospital and have been published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).

Its results are based on survey responses received from 104 (58 NHS and 46 private) provider organisations in England on behalf of 3,250 service users in September last year.