Lessons learnt from partnering to co-design the Hospital Stay Guidelines.
Stephanie Coates1, Jocelyn Franciscus11Disability Health Network, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Abstract
Overview:
The Western Australia Disability Health Network partnered from the outset with people with lived experience, Developmental Disability WA, Carers WA and hospital staff to co-design the revision of the 2016 WA Hospital Stay Guidelines. Establishing genuine partnerships with a shared goal of improving health outcomes has been a journey and this work will outline some of the lessons learnt in the process.
Outcome:
The co-designed, revised Guidelines were published in November 2022, written specifically for:
-People with disability, their families, friends and carers.
-Disability service providers.
-Hospital staff.
The unique needs and perspectives of the audiences drove critical differences in the presentation of the material.
Lessons learnt:
-Co-design challenges Health as ’the expert’ and the outcome may not be a usual health department product.
-Power imbalances exist and need to be recognised and addressed.
-Language is important. Therefore, partnering with consumers is critical.
-Universal access results in improvements for all.
Future implications:
To plan the future implementation of the guidelines 117 people across the disability and health sectors have been consulted:
•People with Disability and Advocacy: n=34
•Disability Service Organisations: n=40
•Hospital Staff: n=43
A proposed implementation plan for the guidelines will be showcased. The information in this plan is transferrable to any future initiatives in Health.
In recognition of the importance of inclusivity and equality, this presentation will be formatted to model and demonstrate the basic principles of accessibility.
Biography
With lived experience of disability and a background in Occupational Therapy, Jocelyn is a community engagement leader with significant experience working in the disability sector. Previously the Community Awareness Strategist for National Disability Services in WA, Jocelyn built community awareness of NDS’s suite of access and inclusion services.
With over 25 years of experience working in health, Stephanie is the HoD of Occupational Therapy at Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospital Group, Chair of the FSFHG Disability Access and Inclusion Committee and previously served on the Ministerial Advisory Council for Disability.