Supporting Medical Practitioners and Nurses - Cognitive Disability

The Supporting Medical Practitioners and Nurses – Cognitive Disability grant aims to improve the knowledge, skills and attitudes of medical practitioners and nurses to provide better quality health care for people with cognitive disability. This will be achieved through increased participation in targeted cognitive disability training, including e-learning and continuing professional development (CPD) activities. The grant responds to findings of the Disability Royal Commission, which identified limited access to disability-specific training for health professionals as a key barrier to equitable access and quality healthcare for people with cognitive disability. Education and training for health professionals is also a key priority in the National Roadmap for Improving the Health of People with Intellectual Disability (ID Roadmap). There are a variety of existing e-learning/CPD opportunities for health professionals relating to cognitive disability. Topics include consent/decision-making, behaviours as communication, reasonable adjustments, inclusive healthcare, commonly occurring co-morbidities, and other training relevant to providing good quality health care for people with cognitive disability. However, uptake of this training is low due to competing priorities and professional duties. In some cases, availability varies across Australia due to state-based arrangements. Grant funding will be provided to eligible colleges to establish and administer activities for their members that aim to increase uptake and completion of e-learning and CPD activities related to cognitive disability health. This may include activities such as increasing access to relevant training, addressing any gaps in training opportunities, promoting training opportunities, and providing financial incentive payments to members to complete relevant training. To view the grant opportunity documents, please select the red "Grant Opportunity Documents" button on the left-hand side.