Creating Capable Communities for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Challenges and Opportunities

ABSTRACT Introduction People with learning disabilities in the United Kingdom are being incarcerated in hospital settings due to lack of suitable community care and support. Factors influencing discharge from institutional/hospital care to enable successful community living have not been explored systematically. Method A systematic review using the PRISMA guidance identified studies via five electronic database searches of Medline, CINAHL, Embase, psychINFO, and Cochrane Library. A predesigned inclusion/exclusion criterion was applied to selected articles. A thematic analysis approach was used. Results Six qualitative and twelve quantitative articles were identified and divided into three broad themes of support, housing, and health. A further nineteen articles were identified as of peripheral interest. Conclusion Factors affording a successful transition from hospital/institution to community are discussed. Suitable standards of housing, staff support/training, and health-care access influence the success of sustainable repatriation. An evidence-based tool kit is proposed from available factors to enable safe, sustainable, and timely discharge.