Comprehensive Health Assessment Program 2023  

The Comprehensive Health Assessment Program (CHAP) is an evidence-based tool for disability workers to use with people with intellectual disability to complete annual health assessments. It allows workers to monitor existing health conditions and identify unmet health needs. You can get the 2023 edition for free through the Australian Department of Health and Aged CareAustralian Department of Health and Aged Care. 

In-home support and SIL providers can use CHAP to carry out an initial health assessment with the participant, with later review and completion by a general practitioner. Bulk-billed extended consultations for the health assessments are available from general practitioners, funded through Medicare.   

Workshop: Using the free Comprehensive Health Assessment Program Workshop  

NDS have an online workshop on Thursday 6 July from 12.30pm to 2:00pm (AEST) to assist SIL and in-home support workers to use CHAP with people with developmental or intellectual disability. The workshop will be led by Professor Nick Lennox, the original developer of CHAP, who will explain how to maximise the benefit of the program for better health assessments.   

You can read more on the workshop and register on the event page of the NDS website. 

Increased COVID-19 and other community infections  

With cooler weather and increased indoor activities, COVID-19 and other infections are increasing among workers and participants. Health authorities recommend disability providers carry out their infectious disease risk management strategies. These should include:  

• Promotion of COVID-19 booster vaccinations and Influenza (flu) vaccination. 
• RAT and PCR testing for COVID-19 for anyone with symptoms of illness or a known contact of a diagnosed person. (PCR tests can identify COVID-19, influenza and RSV and can be arranged through GP referral.)  
• Reporting of RAT-positive results with state or territory governments 
• Worker isolation for at least five days when COVID-19 positive. (Providers are reminded that the Disability Worker COVID-19 Leave Grant is available through Department of Social Security to cover casual and permanent workers who have exhausted their leave.)
• Social distancing and increased ventilation across all settings. 

For more information and resources on risk management see our COVID-19 Toolkit.

Priority report outlines actions to improve oral health of people with an intellectual disability  

The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care has released a report, Oral Health Priority Actions Implementation Recommendations, to improve the oral health of people with intellectual disability. The recommendations come out of the Roadmap Implementation Governance Group (RIGG), which looked at broader health issues of people with disability. The group was made up of representatives of government and key disability sector stakeholders, including NDS, people with lived experience and advocacy organisations. 

Identified by people with disability and providers as a critical area for improvement, poor oral health has lasting effects on physical and mental health, employment and community inclusion. Among the priorities identified in the report are improving the ability of dentists and other oral health practitioners to deliver appropriate care to people with an intellectual disability and the urgent need to increase participant access to oral health services.   

NDIS participants in hospital 

The Summer Foundation are offering two workshops for support coordinators to learn how to support participants who are in in hospital through to a successful discharge.  

Supporting NDIS Participants to Leave Hospital is designed for hospital clinicians and support coordinators to learn how to use the participant’s plan to problem solve as a team and work towards a timely discharge. It has been designed for workers in support coordination who have basic NDIS and health interface knowledge.   

This 90-minute online workshop is on Thursday 22 June (11:30am to 1:00pm AEST) and Monday 31 July (10:00am to 11:30am AEST).  

The workshops are partially subsidised, with details, eligibility, cost and registration at Summer Foundation UpSkill. The Summer Foundation, an Australian not-for-profit organisation, are committed to resolving the issue of younger people living in aged care.