Presentation from the COT Specialist Section - Learning Disabilities conference 2010

1. ICT services for People
with Learning Disabilities
Edinburgh, September 2010
Chris Austin
College of Occupational Therapists
chris.austin@cot.co.uk
Occupation matters College of Occupational Therapists
COTSS PLD Conference, 23-24 September 2010

2. Workshop overview
Optimise:
Independence, safety, choice, participat
ion in the community ...
•What are ICT services
•Future possibilities
•What can we do?

3. ICT - Information and
Communication Technologies
Information technology
• Computers
• Electronic devices ...
Communication technology
• Networking / Internet
• Mobile phones, mobile computing ...

4. What are ICT services
• Electronic care records
• Telecare services
• Telehealth services
• Mobile Health and Social Care

5. Electronic care records
• Record all information electronically
• Records are structured and partially coded
• Systems will exchange data / information
• Support integrated care planning
• Support emergency and unscheduled care
• Enable audit, research and service
evaluation

6. Telecare services
‘... The continuous, automatic and remote monitoring of real
time emergencies and life-style changes over time in order to
manage the risks associated with independent living.’
Tunstall (2010)
Alarm units and sensors placed around the home -
whereabouts, accidents and falls, epilepsy (in bed), flooding
in bathroom, cooking, fires
CCTV in the home, outside the front door (Bogus callers)

7. Telehealth
Telehealth is ‘… the provision of health services at a distance
using a range of digital technologies.’
Scottish Centre for Telehealth - http://www.sct.scot.nhs.uk/
Mainly relevant to long term conditions –
stroke, diabetes, COPD, paediatrics, mental health ...
•Videoconferencing: clinical decision support
•Monitoring: blood pressure, pulse, weight, oxygen saturation

8. Mobile ‘Health & Social’ Care
• Mobile phone, laptop, PDA ...
• Access to information
(Records, internet and databases)
• Support for staff (Safety, changed
appointments, emergencies)

9. Future possibilities
• Office-lite, mobile office
• Telecare as a mainstream commodity
• Integrated shared care records
• Optimise level of independence and
participation in the community
• Routine outcomes
measurement, audit, research and
evaluation.

10. What can we do?
• Networking and sharing
• Innovation / invention
• Piloting, auditing, publishing
• Research
• Education – students and staff

11. References
BECTA (2005) ‘Coming of age: Effective use of ICT for adults with severe learning
disabilities’. http://www.becta.org.uk
Tunstall (2010) ‘Learning Disabilities: Solutions for independent living – key
information for health and social care professionals and carers’. Tunstall
Healthcare. Download from:
http://www.tunstallhealth.com/assets/literature/Learning%20disabilities%20guid
e%2003.10.pdf
University of Stirling, Joint Improvement Team, The Dementia Services
development Centre (2010) ‘Telecare and learning disability: Using telecare
effectively in the support of people with learning disabilities’. University of Stirling.
Download from:
http://www.jitscotland.org.uk/downloads/1284108625-
00260%20Telecare%20and%20learning%20disability.pdf