IDENTIFYING PATIENT SAFETY COMPETENCIES FOR HEALTHCARE STAFF TREATING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY IN HOSPITAL:

A DELPHI STUDY

 

 Ong, Natalie1,2, Boulton, Kelsie3, Milne, Jacqueline2, Tomsic, Gail2, Guastella, Adam3, Silove,

 Natalie2, Weise, Janelle4, Long, Janet5, Walton, Merrilyn6, Burgess, Annette1

1 Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

2 Child Development Unit, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, Australia.

3 Brain and Mind Research Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

4 National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health, Sydney, Australia.

5 Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney Australia.

6 Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney Australia.

Children and young people with intellectual disability are at increased risk of patient safety events in healthcare when compared to the general population1,2. Despite the importance of timely, equitable and safe care for children and young people with intellectual disability, many deficits remain, leaving children and young people with intellectual disability receiving poor quality care3 4. The aim of the study was to complete a data visualisation and a modified eDelphi process which would identify, in order of priority, the competencies required of the health workforce to meet the needs of children in young people with intellectual disability in hospital.

This study demonstrates that the existing competencies in the National Framework do not meet the needs of the child and young person with intellectual disability and therefore significant adaptations incorporating patient safety issues that often occur in this group and unique to the general population are sorely needed to improve safety and quality of care.

Further resource development and workforce education/ implementation strategy is required to further operationalise these framework competencies.