Specialist Learning Disability in Patient services (Loch View)

• Loch View have expertise in assessing mental health needs and health-related behaviour problems and provide treatment and rehabilitation for people with moderate, severe and profound learning disability.
• People with mild Learning disabilities will ordinarily receive the same services as the general adult population, with reasonable adjustments to ensure that their needs are met (learning disability teams will provide this support to mental health colleagues where required).
• There may be a small number of people with a Learning Disability who require Specialist Learning Disability inpatient assessment and treatment. This would only occur when admission to generic mental health settings was believed to be inappropriate.

Admission to Loch View:

• This can only take place when a psychiatrist specialising in Learning Disability (Consultant or senior trainee) approves the admission.
• Referrals for admission to Loch View are only accepted during working hours.

Out of hours, or when there are no beds in Loch View:

• Patients should be admitted to the Mental Health Unit with appropriate support and input from the Learning Disability team.
• Out of hours a Consultant Psychiatrist in Learning Disabilities can be contacted through the Managed Care Network – 0131 5376000.
• Patients with more severe learning disabilities may need to use the annex on Ward 3, however patients should be admitted to the usual ward for other patients from the same geographical area.

Patients who cannot be managed at Loch View, e.g. due to risk of extreme violence:

• The Learning Disability Consultant Psychiatrist will liaise with the Consultant Psychiatrist in IPCU to discuss and arrange transfer, or to seek admission to the appropriate national or regional service.