Patient identification spreadsheet data collection
Open
Clinical data collection
Open
Organisational data collection
Open
Publication date
Summer 2026
Aim
To identify avoidable and modifiable factors in the care of patients with a learning disability who were admitted to hospital acutely unwell.
Participation
Data will be collected from all hospitals in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, which admit and treat acutely unwell patients.
Data Collection
Data collection for this study will include the following:
• Patient identifier spreadsheet – DISSEMINATED – ACCEPTING FINAL SUBMISSIONS
All patients aged 18 or over who had an emergency admission to hospital between 1st July 2024 and 30th September 2024 inclusive, with a discharge diagnosis (in any position) of learning disability will be included in the initial patient identification. Retrospective ICD10 coding and/or learning disability registers will be used to identify patients.
• Clinician questionnaires – DISSEMINATED – April 2025 Up to 6 cases per hospital will be sampled for inclusion in the peer review aspect of the study. A questionnaire will be sent to the named consultant, or the most appropriate clinician, responsible for the patient’s care when they were treated in hospital via the online questionnaire system.
• Case note extracts for review – DISSEMINATED – April 2025 Case notes will be requested for all patients included in the peer review aspect of the study. Before returning the case notes to NCEPOD, please ensure that the selected patient's do have a learning disability.
• Organisational questionnaires – TO BE DISSEMINATED – MID-2025 Organisational questionnaires will be sent to all hospitals participating in the study via the online questionnaire system.
This page will be updated regularly so please check for further information. Any other queries relating to this study should be also addressed to learning@ncepod.org.uk.
