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

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.