Multi-agency working in support of people with learning disabilities:

Although health and social services in Northern Irelandare jointly commissioned and delivered, the recent emphasis ingovernment policy on multi-agency working for people withlearning disabilities has not extended as yet to the region. Aqualitative research study, with informants drawn from a range ofsectors and agencies beyond health and social services,nonetheless identified at least 24 different organizations whowere participating in some form of joint working. The benefitswere seen to outweigh potential difficulties and respondentsidentified the factors that they had found facilitated joint workingas well as the obstacles to it. These centred on the need to buildrelationships among participants, creating opportunities forpartnership working to occur and increasing the capacity ofindividuals and organizations to work together. The need forfurther evaluation and research into system change and userinvolvement is highlighted.