Healthy Discussions project

The Healthy Discussions project aims to improve the way that health practitioners communicate with people with disability and to improve their understanding of disability

The voice of people with lived experience of disability is at the heart of the project. 

Our team delivers in-person and on-line information sessions for health practitioners, health students and community groups.

Contact [email protected] for more information.

About the project

Everyone has the right to play an active role in making decisions about their own health and to receive the support they need to do so.

Healthy Discussions: Supporting people with disability to make and communicate health decisions, is a project initiated by an Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (Mainstream Capacity Building) Grant from the Australian Government Department of Social Services. 

In addition to information sessions, the project has developed a suite of resources and, in partnership with the Collaborative Practice at the University of Melbourne, 3 education modules.

Everyone has the right to play an active role in making decisions about their own health and to receive the support they need to do so.

By providing health practitioners with practical communication and engagement skills, and knowledge, the project aims to ensure they can confidently support patients with disability to make informed decisions about their own health.    

The project also works to empower people with disability to play an active role in their healthcare.

Download Healthy Discussions Project - Easy Read fact sheet

Read the Experiences of ABI and Inclusion report: Reflections on inclusion drawn from lived experience, that was included at the Disability Royal Commission as part of OPA's submissions.

Watch OPA's HealthCARE Conversations video (below), aimed at improving communication between health practitioners and people with disability.