This report highlights the policy recommendations developed by the project consortium of Equal Treatment from the analysis of research findings from:
- the collection of good practices on access of persons with intellectual disabilities to secondary and tertiary healthcare;
- a literature review on the rights and access of persons with intellectual disabilities to secondary and tertiary healthcare and;
- a stakeholder needs analysis on access of persons with intellectual disabilities to secondary and tertiary healthcare.
Providing a framework of the related global and European policies, this report develops policy recommendations aiming at improving the access of persons with intellectual disabilities to secondary and tertiary healthcare. In order to elaborate the development of the policy recommendations, both the project consortium and the project’s Policy Advisory Board were involved by providing their feedback and expertise.
In summary, these are the key policy recommendations developed from the research undertaken by the Equal Treatment Project Consortium.
| What? | Who? | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Develop and mainstream policies and procedures specifically for persons with intellectual disabilities | European Institutions National healthcare systems or authorities Associations of disability sector |
| 2 | Introduce a system of identification to collect, codify and store data about patients with intellectual disability in a hospital database | Competent authorities |
| 3 | Introduce reasonable adjustments to remove barriers that may affect people with intellectual disability | Public authorities healthcare services and institutions Hospital management |
| 4 | Support and implement measures to ensure effective communication between healthcare staff and persons with intellectual disabilities and their supporters | Healthcare professionals Social services Experts in easy-to-read format |
| 5 | Ensure supported decision making to all types of care or treatment | Competent authorities Healthcare professionals Professionals of the disability sector |
| 6 | Develop and deliver training programmes for healthcare professionals to develop their skills and knowledge of intellectual disabilities | Associations in the health sector Hospital management Public health authorities Disability sector |
| 7 | Develop and provide training for people with intellectual disabilities and their supporters on access to hospital services and interaction with healthcare staff | Associations of disability sector Supporters to people with intellectual disability |
| 8 | Promote the appointment of intellectual disability nurses or disability champion | Competent authorities Hospital management |
| 9 | Promote a co-production approach in the design of healthcare services to people with intellectual disabilities | Associations of the disability sector Social services Public authorities |
| 10 | Increase long-term funding and strengthen cooperation between stakeholders and social services | European Institutions Competent regional or local authorities Social services |