Equal Treatment 2022

Equal Treatment 2022

The EQUAL TREATMENT project is an ERASMUS+ funded project with the aim to improve the access of people with intellectual disabilities to  secondary and tertiary health care through inclusive European policies in healthcare services; training of healthcare staff on interacting with patients with intellectual disabilities and; stronger collaboration between healthcare staff and professional supporters.

The focus of the first year of the project was on undertaking research for the collection of good practices, literature review and analysis of stakeholders needs for healthcare professionals and professional supporters and especially, the people with intellectual disabilities themselves. A key aim of the research was to identify why, despite many international and EU policy recommendations on people with disabilities’ health and their rights to accessing health care services, people with intellectual disabilities experience, in reality, unequal access and rights to secondary and tertiary healthcare services.

The analysis and findings of this research supported the development of draft policy recommendations addressed at policy makers, healthcare managers and professionals working in this field aimed at improving healthcare services delivered to people with intellectual disabilities. A draft Study paper was written highlighting all the findings of the research undertaken and the development of policy recommendations for enhanced access and rights for people with intellectual disabilities.

The Project’s Policy Advisory Board was established at the start of the project comprising of expert stakeholders – European Hospital and Healthcare Federation, INCLUSION EUROPE and European Specialist Nurses Organisation – to act as a source of policy and project advice to the Project Consortium. The Board will also support in the dissemination of project policies and results, taking them to and discussing them at the highest levels in Europe, including within the EU institutions.

All the project deliverables and the project website will be available soon.