Responsibility: Australian Government
Response: Accept in principle
Status: Further work required
What has been achieved to date
The Government has not commenced further work on this recommendation.
What the Disability Royal Commission said in the final report
The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care should:
- immediately expand the scope of the work on an intellectual disability health capability framework and associated resources to address all forms of cognitive disability, to apply at all stages of education and training. This expansion should include autism-specific content, and address specific healthcare issues for people with learning disability, dementia and acquired brain injury.
- allocate additional funding to support the expanded scope of health workforce capability development.
Australian Government Response July 2024
The Australian Government is committed to supporting health professionals to provide better quality care to people with cognitive disability. The Intellectual Disability Education and Training Expert Advisory Group is currently providing advice on the existing work to develop supporting resources for the Intellectual Disability Health Capability Framework, which was finalised in December 2023.
The Australian Government is committed to supporting health professionals through improved training to provide better quality care to people with cognitive disability.
Immediate expansion of the Framework without taking appropriate time to consider the scope and respective sectors’ needs would carry significant risks. These include diluting the impact of the current Framework in addressing the specific needs of people with intellectual disability and limiting the ability to address differing needs of people with other forms of cognitive disability. The Framework could serve as a pathway for further development of cognitive disability health training.
More recommendations
View progress on other recommendations made by the Royal Commission.