This webinar is designed to strengthen the knowledge and practical skills of disability support teams working alongside people with intellectual disability. It recognises the vital role disability service providers play in promoting health, supporting wellbeing, and enabling regular and meaningful access to health care services. The session will support participants to confidently understand and use the Comprehensive Health Assessment Program (CHAP) as a practical tool to enhance coordinated care. It will also highlight the valuable role of disability support workers in fostering effective communication and collaboration between people with intellectual disability and their health care teams.
Learning outcomes:
- Increase understanding of the complex health needs of people with intellectual disability
- Develop an understanding of strategies to improve access to health care
- Understand why a Comprehensive Health Assessment (CHAP) can improve healthcare
- Understand the importance of the roles and responsibilities of support workers
Speaker information:
Professor Nick Lennox is a researcher, educator, advocate and clinician. He has specialised in the health of adults with intellectual disability since 1992. He trained in general practice and also for a time in psychiatry. In 2007, he completed his PhD based on a randomised controlled trial of the Comprehensive Health Assessment Program (CHAP).
Ms Catherine Mulcahy is a trainer, facilitator, coach, and mentor with over 35 years’ experience in disability services in Australia and overseas.
Catherine is known for her unstoppable enthusiasm and passionate commitment to making a difference in the lives of everyone she meets. She facilitates training in diverse settings and strives to empower disability support staff to work together to improve health outcomes for the people they support every day.
Catherine’s work with the Central and Eastern Sydney PHN includes the development of the Annual Health Assessment Checklist. This was designed to build the capability of the disability workforce who use the CHAP to support people with their healthcare.
In November 2019, Catherine received the NSW Department of Community and Justice (DCJ) ‘Making a Difference Award’ (individual category). This award was presented to Catherine by the NSW Minister for Disability for leading a project that developed a practical resource (Admission2Discharge folder) to facilitate better communication between a person with disability and health professionals when the person is admitted to hospital.
Favourite Quote: Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much – Helen Keller
The Primary Care Enhancement Program (PCEP) for people with intellectual disability is funded by the Australian Government under the Primary Health Networks Program. This webinar is a collaboration between Primary Health Tasmania (Tasmania PHN), Central and Eastern Sydney PHN, Country to Coast Queensland and Western Victoria PHN.
Project GROW is a Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network (CESPHN) initiative delivered under the PCEP, designed to progress equitable, inclusive primary care for people with intellectual disability. The project:
- Provides education and quality improvement activities to both general and dental practices.
- Delivers education workshops to SIL providers.
- Works in collaboration with a Local Health District to deliver a shared care pathway between specialist teams and GPs.
- Promotes Annual Health Assessments.
- Provides service navigation and referral support.
Western Victoria Primary Health Network is piloting an Intellectual Disability Quality Improvement initiative with nine general practices to strengthen inclusive, person‑centred primary care. The project is delivered in partnership with a local disability support organisation, bringing specialist expertise into general practice.
The Specialist Intellectual Disability Integrators support practices through tailored training, quality improvement activities, and enhanced care coordination. Their work focuses on improving inclusive communication and reasonable adjustments, strengthening patient identification and data quality, enhancing clinical coding, and supporting effective use of the Comprehensive Health Assessment Program (CHAP).