Table 3 Strategies to enhance access to general practice for people with intellectual disability

Demand-side

• Create Easy Read materials aimed at increasing people with intellectual disability’s understanding of services at general practice, the importance of preventive care, regular preventive health assessments and treatment of common health conditions.

• Improve communication resources and provide communication training for GPs and other staff caring for people with intellectual disability specifically for the purpose of addressing demand-side limitations on access.

• Strengthen training for support workers, family and allies regarding empowering and advocating for people with intellectual disability, facilitating independent decision-making and maintaining personal medical records.

• Raise awareness of the availability and importance of general practice among people with intellectual disability, their families and support networks, and increase the advertising of specific services, such as targeted preventative health assessments.

• Strengthen health literacy among all people with intellectual disability, their families and support workers.

Supply-side strategies

• Offer adequate remuneration for GPs providing tailored health care, including longer appointments or out-of-hours follow-up.

• Promote implementation by general practice of targeted preventive health assessments and associated follow-up care through raising awareness amongst GPs and general practice staff.

• Strengthen integration of allied health, disability and specialist medical services with general practice, and improve communication between these services.

• Ensure general practices are physically accessible and suitable for people with intellectual disability, for example, by offering quiet spaces, shortened waiting room periods or flexible appointment times.

• Upgrade clinical information systems to enable identifying, recalling and reminding people with intellectual disability to attend general practice, including specifically for preventive health assessments and follow-up care.

• Improve the nature and extent of intellectual disability content during medical education and training.