Estia Centre 10 Years

Abstract

In 2009, the Estia Centre celebrates a decade of working towards making sure the mental health needs of people with learning disabilities are met – through specialist clinical services, research, and a programme of training and education for both support workers and mental health professionals. Despite government efforts of recent years, people with learning disabilities are still marginalised. Those with mental health problems and more complex needs are even more socially excluded: they are much less likely to be given the chance to speak for themselves and much less likely to be given choices. Many people with learning disabilities and mental health problems are placed in residential or specialist treatment centres far from their local community: historical lack of state investment has led to a growth of independent providers of services and a dearth of specialist public sector alternatives. Based on Guy’s Hospital campus at London Bridge, the Estia Centre is part of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM). Members of the Estia team work in SLaM’s clinical services and at the Institute of Psychiatry (IoP),King’s College London, SLaM’s academic partner. There is also a dedicated team at the Centre responsible for organising a large portfolio of training, offered routinely to staff in social care and mental health services in south London, and also available on request to staff working in services around the UKand in other countries. The work of the Estia Centre has been inspirational to clinicians and policy makers around the world. Over the years, the Estia team has shared skills and experience through long-standing collaborations and consultancy work, helping to shape and develop specialist mental health services for the benefit of people with learning disabilities and their families.