Equal Treatment Project

13/12/2024

🙏 We couldn’t have asked for a better way to end the Equal Treatment project! Our final conference ‘Advancing Healthcare & Equal Treatment for People with Intellectual Disabilities’, held on 26 November, was an opportunity to reflect on the project’s important takeaways, and how they can contribute to ensuring people with intellectual disabilities receive the they deserve.

👏 Thank you to our excellent speakers for bringing the conversations full circle by:

⚕️setting the scene on the current status of and barriers to better healthcare for people with disabilities
📢 making a call for action for inclusive healthcare policies
📈 showcasing the recommendations for improvement of access to healthcare, developed within the Equal Treatment project
🗣️ bringing the experience of people with intellectual disabilities

Learn more by accessing all the presentations covering the above important discussion points here ➡️ https://www.epr.eu/event/advancing-healthcare-inclusion-equal-treatment-for-people-with-intellectual-disabilities/.

And stay tuned for our article on the Equal Treatment milestones, recommendations and impact!

A special thank you also to the European Economic and Social Committee for their partnership in making this event possible.

European Platform for Rehabilitation I ΕΕΑ "ΜΑΡΓΑΡΙΤΑ" I Ερευνητικό Κέντρο Βιοπολιτικής I Kauno kolegija I Tampere University I Campus Arnau d'Escala I Inclusion Europe

22/11/2024

Last day to register!

This Tuesday, 26th November, we invite you to an important and timely event 'Advancing Healthcare Inclusion & Equal Treatment for People with Intellectual Disabilities' Conference'! Join us for a dynamic and collaborative discussion, together with healthcare professionals, policymakers, academics, and individuals with lived experiences.

As highlighted by the 2022 WHO Global Report on Health Equity, people with intellectual disabilities continue to face poorer health outcomes, earlier mortality, and significant barriers to healthcare. It is crucial that we come together to ensure they receive the care they deserve.

⚕️Setting the scene
The European Platform of Self Advocates and the WHO Regional Office for Europe will kick-off the event with valuable insight on the current status, barriers and opportunities for improving to healthcare for people with disabilities.

📢 A call to action
Our panel of experts from , d'Assistència Sanitaria (Spain) and Inclusion Europe will discuss the importance and impact of inclusive healthcare policies.

🏥 Transforming healthcare access
Project partners will showcase the findings of the ERASMUS+ funded Equal Treatment Project, which has spent two years researching and developing policy recommendations to improve access to healthcare services. Additionally, they will unveil results from the innovative training course for healthcare staff, designed to support the delivery of more inclusive and equitable care.

🗣️ First-hand insights
Bringing the discussion full circle, participants will hear personal testimonials from people with intellectual disabilities on their experience with the Equal Treatment project results.

Meet the speakers below! Don't miss the chance to share your input and learn from key stakeholders - today is the last day to register!

📅 Date: 26 November 2024
⏰ Time: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM CET
📍Location: European Economic and Social Committee ( ) VMA building, Rue Van Maerlant 2, Brussels, Belgium



ΕΕΑ "ΜΑΡΓΑΡΙΤΑ" I European Platform for Rehabilitation I Ερευνητικό Κέντρο Βιοπολιτικής I Campus Arnau d'Escala

13/11/2024

📆 On 26 November, we are taking another step forward in improving access of people with intellectual disabilities to secondary and tertiary . Lets maximise the impact - join us for the 'Advancing Healthcare Inclusion & Equal Treatment for People with Intellectual Disabilities' Conference!

Our Equal Treatment Project is coming to an end, and we have valuable insight to share with you.

⁉️ Did you know that people with intellectual disabilities are 4 times more likely to critically suffer from causes that were amenable if they could have accessed quality healthcare? In an aim to change this statistic, the Conference will bring together healthcare professionals, policymakers, academics, and people with lived experience and address pressing issues surrounding healthcare equity.

The event is a must-attend for those committed to making healthcare more inclusive and accessible!

Date: 26 November 2024
Time: 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM CET
Location: headquarters in Brussels, Belgium

For agenda, more information and registration ➡️ https://bit.ly/EqualTreatmentConference

27/09/2024

On 26 September 2024, Kaunas College hosted the international conference "Health, Environment and Sustainable Development: interdisciplinary approach / HESDIA-2024" for healthcare researchers, teachers and professionals. One of the highlights of this conference was the dissemination of the results of the Erasmus+ funded project "EqualTreatment – Supporting rights and access of people with intellectual disabilities to secondary and tertiary healthcare service" (101049115 ERASMUS-EDU-2021-PCOOP-ENGO). The three-year project aimed to improve the competencies of healthcare professionals and students in providing services to people with intellectual disabilities, especially in hospital secondary and tertiary care, through analysis of partners' experiences and training tools.
The EqualTreatment project brought together partners from several European countries (Belgium, Spain, Greece, and Lithuania) to analyze the theoretical literature and practical experience in inpatient personal healthcare services. The results of the project reflect the findings of this research and collaboration. The methodological material developed in the project has led to the development of a three-module distance learning course, which can be accessed by healthcare professionals and students via the Moodle platform. This system allows distance learning and offers interactive tasks and theoretical challenges that contribute to enhancing the professional and digital competences of professionals. This platform enables the development of knowledge and skills needed to provide quality and accessible services to patients with intellectual disabilities, regardless of their social, cultural, or economic context.
The results of the EqualTreatment project were presented to a wide audience of researchers, healthcare professionals, lecturers, and students from Lithuania and other European countries at a conference held at Kaunas College. The speakers discussed in detail the benefits of the developed training content and the possibilities of its application in everyday practice and presented the results of the project's research - the patterns of change in professional and digital competencies during qualification development through distance learning. During the discussion, it was emphasised how important it is to ensure equal, high-quality healthcare for all patients, including those with intellectual disabilities. Kaunas College representatives stressed that this project not only helped to strengthen international cooperation but also provided an opportunity to improve study programs and teaching tools that will be used in the training of future healthcare professionals. The project and its results have become an important step towards social equality and inclusion in the healthcare system.
The international conference HESDIA-2024 not only provided an opportunity to present the results of the EqualTreatment project, to publish two scientific articles in the conference proceedings but also to provide a platform for further discussions on improving the quality of healthcare services and the development of professionals' competences both nationally and internationally. It is hoped that the results of the project will be widely applied in practice and will become a useful tool in the daily work of healthcare professionals.
Sustainable Development

20/09/2024

Did you know that the Quality Rights training in the area of is accessible and free to everyone? The course is based on a and recovery approach in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other international human rights standards. The training is aimed at:
🩺mental health practitioners
👉 people with psychosocial, intellectual and cognitive disabilities, people using mental health services, families, care partners and other supporters,
🏣nongovernmental organizations, organizations of persons with disabilities.

QualityRights materials for training, guidance and transformation

18/09/2024

Research shows that people with a learning disability live on average up to 23 years less than those without. Often, they aren’t understood, or risk having their concerns dismissed, simply because they communicate and express themselves differently to the average patient or may not be able to advocate for themselves. We know this because we support thousands of people every day.

Julie’s sister Caroline has a severe learning disability but it's when she visits the hospital that Julie is most concerned for her sister's wellbeing.

💬"I feel as if she is being treated like a second-class citizen."

We want people with a learning disability to have access to the same quality of physical and mental healthcare as everybody else. Through our partnership with Omaze UK , the funds raised will help support our work in tackling these health inequalities.

👉Read Julie’s story https://brnw.ch/21wMKju

29/08/2024

📅 SAVE THE DATE: November 26, 2024

Join us for a critical policy debate on healthcare inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities.

📍 Where? at the EESC - European Economic and Social Committee, Brussels

This event will feature leading experts in rights and , with discussions on the current state of healthcare access, policy recommendations, and challenges. Engage in panel discussions, hear impactful testimonials, and explore the ERASMUS+ funded project, showcasing an innovative e-training course for healthcare professionals.

🎟️ Registrations open until November 19
🔗 More info and registration: https://www.epr.eu/?post_type=event&p=8000

Join the conversation and advocate for a more inclusive healthcare system! 🌍💬



European Platform for Rehabilitation Tampere University Kauno kolegija ΕΕΑ "ΜΑΡΓΑΡΙΤΑ" Campus Arnau d'Escala

04/07/2024

Are you a health care professional? 🩺
Do you want to develop your skills in working with people with intellectual disabilities? 🧠
Come and pilot the online course of the Equal Treatment project in July! 📅

What:
The Equal Treatment online course is designed for health care professionals and students who encounter people with intellectual disabilities in their work. The aim of the course is to strengthen understanding of intellectual disabilities and improve interaction skills with people with intellectual disabilities.
The course is produced in the Erasmus+ funded Equal Treatment project and is based on extensive research and the views of experts by experience.
The course consists of three modules:
1️⃣ Understanding Intellectual Disabilities
2️⃣ Good communication and basic principles of Supported Decision Making
3️⃣ Good practices and services in healthcare

Why:
By participating in the piloting of the course you can:
✨ Develop your skills in working with people with intellectual disabilities.
🗣️ Provide valuable feedback on course development.
📜 Receive a Certificate of your studies.

How to participate:
🔹 Create an account to DigiCampus or login with your Google account.
🔹 Sign in to the course: EQ-2023-EN Equal Treatment online course.
🔹 Start learning!

(DigiCampus is a shared learning environment for universities in Finland. If any page appears in Finnish/Suomi at first, you can always change the language to English on the top of the page)

Further information:
Project Specialist Iina Nieminen, 📧 iina.nieminen@tuni.fi
Equal Treatment project website: 🌐 https://www.epr.eu/project/equal-treatment/



Tampere University ΕΕΑ "ΜΑΡΓΑΡΙΤΑ" European Platform for Rehabilitation Campus Arnau d'Escala Kauno kolegija Ερευνητικό Κέντρο Βιοπολιτικής

28/06/2024

We're delighted to share our experience of the final Transnational Project Meeting on Equal Treatment Project.

Campus Arnau d'Escala welcomed all the project partners in the beautiful city of and we had 2 days of fruitful work and cooperation 👏

The pilots for the hashtag course are almost finished and will be evaluated soon!

European Platform for Rehabilitation Kauno kolegijos Medicinos fakultetas Tampere University ΕΕΑ "ΜΑΡΓΑΡΙΤΑ" Ερευνητικό Κέντρο Βιοπολιτικής

24/06/2024

Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing healthcare, offering new hope for people with intellectual disabilities! 🤖💡

During the successful EPR Annual conference on AI and New Technologies for Inclusion: Leaving no one behind in the digital transition, we delved into the significant potential of AI in improving access to healthcare for people disabilities.
AI-driven systems can enhance personalized care, improve communication, and provide continuous health monitoring, making healthcare more inclusive and accessible. 🌐💪

However, as we embrace these technological advancements, it's crucial to address the ethical, privacy, and transparency concerns. ⚖️🔒 Ensuring data security, maintaining patient confidentiality, and upholding ethical standards are paramount. Transparency in AI decision-making processes is essential to build trust and safeguard the rights of individuals. 🌈🔍

Let's harness the power of AI responsibly to create a healthcare system that is not only innovative but also ethical and inclusive for everyone! 🌍💙

08/04/2024

It's World Health Day.

When a person with intellectual disabilities sees a doctor, the information should be in easy-to-read for them to understand what the doctor has said. Having a good healthcare for people with intellectual disabilities is important.

This is the state of EU when it comes to health:
🇳🇴10
🇸🇪10
🇲🇹8.8
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿8.5
🇫🇮7.9
🇧🇬7.8
🇨🇿7.8
🇩🇰7.8
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿7.8
🇭🇺7.8
🇸🇮7.8
🇨🇭7.8
🇮🇪6.6
🇪🇪6.3
🇵🇹6.1
🇱🇹5.9
🇫🇷5.7
🇸🇰5.7
🇩🇪5.5
🇳🇱5.5
🇮🇹5.3
🇬🇷5.1
🇦🇱4.9
🇺🇦4.9
🇭🇷4.8
🇦🇹4
🇧🇪4
🇷🇴3.8
🇪🇸3.6

Source: https://www.inclusion.eu/indicators

21/03/2024

"Our negative assumptions about people with Down syndrome can lead us to treat them in such a way that these assumptions become reality. In sociology, this is called a ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’. Why not reverse our perspectives? If we have positive assumptions about people with Down syndrome, we'll give them more opportunities in their schools, workplaces, relationships and activities. And maybe these positive assumptions will become reality."

Our negative assumptions about people with Down syndrome can lead us to treat them in such a way that these assumptions become reality. In sociology, this is...