Build a disability confident workforce
A disability confident workforce understands and acts on the concepts of inclusion and accessibility. The Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA) report Ensuring Occupations are Responsive to People with Disability includes a good practice guide for professions, and useful tools and definitions to raise disability awareness.28
ACOLA has identified six key principles associated with positive interactions between people with disability and professionals. The six principles are outlined below.
- Nothing about us without us:
Education and training about disability must be developed and delivered with, or by, people with disability.
- Capability areas:
Training must develop skills, knowledge and attitudes.
- Experiential learning:
Training must include ‘on the job’ learning.
- Addressing bias:
Training should enhance a learner’s ability to critically reflect on their attitudes and behaviours towards people with disability.
- Fit for purpose:
Training must enhance a learner’s ability to critically reflect on their personal attitudes towards and perceptions of people with disability.
- Quantum:
Disability responsiveness will not be achieved through a single training event or course. Outcomes will require an ongoing commitment.
Facilitate the involvement of families, supporters or guardians of people with intellectual disability in a person’s health care
Families and supporters of people with intellectual disability can provide valuable information about the person and how they will respond in a healthcare setting. Strategies to facilitate this involvement may include:
- Providing accessible information about the relevant health condition or treatment – such as symptoms, who participates in the person’s care, length of stay in hospital, what to expect or prognosis – to the person and their family, supporters or guardian
- Keeping family, supporters or guardians regularly updated. Planning clinical assessments or reviews when the family or NDIS disability support workers can be present, or having regular discussions scheduled, especially if the person is non-verbal
- Completing organisational planning to meet the needs of families or paid disability support workers when they are supporting a person in acute care, such as quiet rooms or a cot to sleep on
- Keeping NDIS disability service providers or NDIS health liaison officers up to date on changes in the person’s clinical information (with the proper consent and where relevant)
- Building the organisation’s knowledge and understanding of the disability sector (see the Spotlight issue ‘Working collaboratively with the disability sector’).
Practise shared decision-making
Shared decision-making is a critical part of making sure people with intellectual disability are partners in their own health care.
To facilitate shared decision-making, a clinician should adjust their methods of communication with the person to maximise the person’s participation in decision-making and informed consent to treatment.
Reasonable adjustments may include taking more time to explain the benefits and risks of a treatment and using Easy Read information or assistive communication technologies.
A person’s skill and ability to participate in decision-making can fluctuate over time and depend on their underlying health condition, acute condition and the type of decision being made.
If a person’s physical, emotional or behavioural state affects their ability to participate in shared decision-making and to consent to treatment, the clinician should engage substitute decision-makers or nominated persons, in line with legislation.
