Cognitive impairment

Intellectual disability and inclusive health care

The National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards support the right of people with intellectual disability to equitable health care. People with intellectual disability experience significant barriers in accessing safe and quality care evident through a higher mortality rate, increased incidence of preventable illness and more frequent hospital admissions.

In this section, you will find guidance and resources for implementation of the NSQHS Standards, to support healthcare rights and provision of inclusive health care.

Standards and healthcare rights

The implementation of the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards supports the rights of people with intellectual disability to equitable health care.

People with intellectual disability are included under the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights with the same rights to: Access, Safety, Respect, Partnership, Information, Privacy and Give feedback.

Australia's Disability Strategy 2021–2031 recognises that application of the ‘social model of disability’, as identified in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, is critical to improving healthcare outcomes for people with disability, including for people with intellectual disability. The Strategy recognises attitudes, practices and structures can be disabling and act as barriers preventing people from fulfilling their potential and exercising their rights as equal members of the community.

Four Steps to Inclusive Health Care: With Me and About Me

The Commission has developed four steps to assist clinicians in the provision of inclusive health care. Each step requires inclusion of the person receiving care.

1. Plan with me

2. Understand me

3. Communicate with me

‘Talk with me and include me in conversations about my diagnosis and treatment and check my understanding. Know my capacity and my right to be supported in making decisions about my health care.’

Communicate with the person in a manner they can understand. This might include using simple language and concrete terms, Easy Read information or visual aids. Talk with the person directly, rather than the accompanying person, in a way that is positive and inclusive for them.

4. Act with me

‘Follow up on test results and treat my health issues. Don’t assume my symptoms, illness or disease are part of my disability.’

Use what you know about the person’s baseline to identify concerns that need further investigation or review. Regularly check how the person is feeling about the health care they are receiving. Follow up on any issues identified in the comprehensive assessment, either directly, or through organising referrals.

Reasonable adjustments

A reasonable adjustment is a change to an existing approach or process which is essential to ensure a person’s access to a service. Reasonable adjustments for people with disability are required under the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the disability inclusion legislation of each state and territory.

Making reasonable adjustment for a person’s disability creates an inclusive environment and facilitates meeting the NSQHS Standards, for example, providing safe and high-quality care.

Find further information and examples of reasonable adjustments

Downloadable resources

The Four Steps to Inclusive Health Care resources below have been developed to raise awareness of the needs of people with intellectual disability in health care.