title: Impact of care pathway-based approach on outcomes in a specialist intellectual disability inpatient unit.
abstract: Specialist intellectual disability inpatient units have come under increased scrutiny, leading to questions about the quality of service provision in this sector. A care pathway-based approach was implemented in such a unit and its impact on outcome variables was measured. The care pathway-based approach resulted in the turnover of more patients, increased capacity for admissions to the unit, reduced lengths of stay in hospital, timely assessments and treatments, which resulted in better outcomes in patients. Care pathway-based approach to service provision provides not only better outcomes in patients but also a reliable way of ensuring true multi-agency working and accountability. If used widely, it can reduce the variability in the quality of current service provision.
authors.affiliation: Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, UK john.devapriam@leicspart.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Devapriam
authors.affiliation: University of East Anglia, UK.
authors.forename: Regi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.affiliation: Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, UK.
authors.forename: Rohit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gumber
authors.affiliation: Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, UK.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pither
authors.affiliation: Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, UK.
authors.forename: Satheesh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gangadharan
keywords: care pathway; intellectual disabilities; outcomes; service provision