Insights into learning disabilities and complex needs: statistics for Scotland

About this release

This is the first statistics report published by Public Health Scotland for people with learning disabilities and complex care needs in Scotland. The purpose of this report is to increase visibility of local and national data to support the Scottish Government's work to improve monitoring of people with learning disabilities and complex care needs who are in hospital, in out-of-area placements and whose current support arrangements are at risk of breaking down.

Main points

Considering adults registered with learning disabilities and complex care needs:

• In Scotland, as at 28 September 2023 there were 1,243 people on local dynamic support registers.
• Of those, 455 were classified as urgent within the following categories:
  • 171 people in hospital, 130 people recorded as an inappropriately out-of-area placement and 154 people recorded as at risk of support breakdown.
• There were a further 144 recorded as enhanced monitoring, and 644 people in appropriate out-of-area placements.

Background

The Dynamic Support Register (DSR) was launched in May 2023, as one of the key recommendations from the Coming Home Implementation (gov.scot) report.

The register is applicable for adults (aged 18 plus) with learning disabilities and complex care needs whose support is funded by a Scottish Local Authority or Health Board. The DSR has different levels of categories for inclusion: Urgent, Enhanced Monitoring and Appropriate Out-of-Area placements. Further information on the Dynamic Support Register is available from the Scottish Government.

Further information

The next release of this publication will be May 2024.