About the pilot
The PCEP pilot includes:
- helping Primary Health Networks (PHN) support health professionals in caring for people with intellectual disability
- practical training and resources for general practitioners (GPs) and other primary health care professionals to improve their capability in this area
- health literacy resources for people with intellectual disability, their carers and family members.
We are running the PCEP pilot in four PHN regions:
- Central and Eastern Sydney
- Western Victoria
- Central Queensland, Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast
- Tasmania.
The PCEP is a priority of the National Roadmap for Improving the Health of People with Intellectual Disability.
Funding
An initial investment of $6.56 million (from 2020–21 to 2023–24) was made to develop the PCEP. As part of the Australian Government Response to the Disability Royal Commission, a further $3.7 million (from 2024-25 to 2025-26) was invested to continue the pilot for a further 2 years.
Goals
As the Disability Royal Commission highlighted, most health professionals have minimal training in intellectual disability health care. Many people with intellectual disability have low health literacy.
The PCEP pilot aims to:
- increase the skills and ability of GPs and other health professionals to deliver effective health care for people with intellectual disability
- improve the health literacy of people with intellectual disability.
Progress
We engaged the Council for Intellectual Disability (CID) as part of the program in August 2020. This was to develop resources and training materials for both health professionals and people with intellectual disability.
CID used a collaborative co-design process to develop the PCEP training and resources. CID completed these in June 2022.
The 4 lead PHNs are now:
- delivering the PCEP training sessions to a range of health professionals such as GPs, practice nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and allied health professionals
- promoting the PCEP resources to health professionals
- promoting PCEP health literacy resources to people with intellectual disability.
An external evaluator has assessed the initial PCEP pilot period to June 2024. They looked at how effective the PCEP was at improving the knowledge, attitudes and skills of primary care professionals in providing health care to people with intellectual disability. An evaluation report was delivered in July 2024. These include:
Resources
Easy Read resources for people with intellectual disability
Resources for health professionals managing patients with intellectual disability
Primary Care Enhancement Program Evaluation Report – Executive Summary
PCEP Final Report – Executive Summary – Easy Read
PCEP Final Report – Infographic
Contact
For more information about the PCEP, please contact the Department of Health and Aged Care.
