Staff wellbeing interventions and its impact on levels of physical intervention in an inpatient unit for individuals with a learning disability: A feasibility study

Abstract

There is a strong focus nationally on reducing the use of restrictive intervention to manage behaviours that can be described as challenging in people with a learning disability and/or autism. Research has shown that increased staff wellbeing can result in the reduction of these approaches. This study explored the impact of ongoing weekly wellbeing sessions for staff in an NHS inpatient unit for individuals with a learning disability, autism and associated mental health conditions. Baseline data indicated staff were burnt-out and lacked job satisfaction in some but not all areas, although the participants reported high levels of mindfulness awareness. Post-intervention results suggested that the wellbeing sessions had no effect on staff burn-out, job satisfaction or mindfulness awareness. However, the frequency of the use of physical restraints during this time was also collected and results show a reduction in frequency.