What is the economic case for the profession?
Many believe that learning disability as a field of nursing practice is in a perilous state. Fewer universities offer learning disability nursing, there are falling numbers of registered learning disability nurses as well as failures of care. The RCN Foundation hired researchers from the London School of Economics to examine what the economic case for learning disability nursing is and it found that little or no economic evidence exists for some interventions, but that does not mean the evidence does not exist
Researchers found that little economic evidence exists for most learning disability nursing interventions but that doesn't mean there isn't any
the economic case for learning disability nurses is Picture John Houlihan
As a learning disability nurse do you ever stop to consider your economic worth?
My guess is probably not. After all, it is unlikely to have been your motivation for choosing this career or be uppermost in your mind at work. But right now might be the time to consider this question a little more closely.
‘One way to argue for investment in learning disability nursing is to make a strong economic case for it’
There are those who believe that learning disability as a field of nursing practice is in a perilous state.
This belief is not new, it has been debated for years, most notably after NHS long-stay institutions began to close in the 1980s as part of the Care in the Community policy.
Making an economic case for more investment in learning disability nursing
But the issue has been brought to the fore again with fewer universities offering learning disability nursing, falling numbers of registered learning disability nurses and failures of care illustrated most recently by the Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry in Northern Ireland which is due to report later this year.
Into the mix add the state of the UK’s economy and a growing emphasis about tackling health inequalities.
Do you have evidence of the value of investing in learning disability nursing?
One way to argue for investment in the profession is to make a strong economic case for it.
The charity the RCN Foundation hired researchers from the prestigious London School of Economics (LSE) to examine what the economic case for learning disability nurses is.
The LSE produced two literature reviews and found that little or no economic evidence exists for some interventions. Managing aggressive behaviour was the only area examined where there was strong evidence. Other interventions were identified with varying results: adult annual health checks; constipation; hospital care of children and young people; older people’s well-being; epilepsy; obesity; sleep and family dynamics.
Not having the evidence doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist and the LSE report recommends more research is needed.
So, this is where you come in. If you have the evidence, why not write it up and publish it? I’m happy to discuss article ideas so please get in touch at chris.walker@rcni.com
Christine Walker, editor Learning Disability Practice
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