Focus group hopes to improve healthcare delivery for people with disability

The project titled, Empowering Health Consumers with Disability, will discuss how healthcare providers, such as doctors and hospitals can improve the care provided to patients with disability, communicating with people with disability, making information easy to understand and more accessible and helping people move between different services such as healthcare providers, disability services or the community.

To get the project underway, PWDWA is calling on people with disabilities to join a focus group to discuss the issues and help health professionals deliver top quality care.

Executive Officer at PWDWA, Samantha Jenkinson says there is a lack of knowledge on healthcare services available to people with disability and their carers.

“One of the major barriers for people with disabilities in the health system is that health information resources are not provided and distributed in user-friendly ways and people with disability are not always aware of their rights and avenues for feedback in the health system,” she says.  

“The health providers and health system also have a lack of knowledge of the diversity of disability as a non-health issue.”

Ms Jenkinson says the co-design group will work on identifying and developing resources and awareness sessions for people with disability about their health rights and accessing health services.

The focus group is expected to meet once a month at the PWDWA offices, with a total of seven participants required.

For more information or to express your interest in the focus group, contact Martin at [email protected] or call 9485 8900.