Intellectual Disability Health Capability Framework – now published

The Department of Health and Aged Care published the Intellectual Disability Health Capability Framework (the framework) in April 2024 following consultation with a wide range of stakeholders including the ADC. The goal of the framework is to support universities and accreditation authorities to improve pre-registration education for health professionals to prepare graduates with the required capabilities to provide the highest quality care to people with intellectual disability throughout their future careers.

The project team at UNSW Sydney will continue to curate and develop intellectual disability health resources to support the integration of the framework into accreditation standards and health professional pre-registration education curricula. This will involve consultation and co-design with people with intellectual disability in addition to stakeholder engagement. This work is scheduled for delivery by mid-2025.

The published framework and the capabilities will be considered during future reviews of the ADC’s accreditation standards and professional competencies. In the interim, to support the implementation of the framework, the ADC has published a guidance note for education providers that provides information about how the framework affects the existing standards and competencies. The guidance note also provides recommendations for education providers regarding how to apply the principles of the framework.