The D.A.M.A. Project at Terni Hospital, Italy

Experience shows how difficult it is for a person with disabilities to cope with the reality of a hospital, especially if he or she has an intellectual disability. The difficulty in carrying out even simple diagnostic and therapeutic manoeuvres, the complexity of the pathologies, the difficulty in relating to the patient all make it a real risk that many medical problems of patients with disabilities are overlooked or denied altogether. The person with a disability has the right to all care, not only that related to his or her particular pathology, but also that required for other specialist or general pathologies. The UN Convention clearly states the rights of persons with disabilities. The Italian Republic has implemented the UN's declaration with Law 18/2009. The rights enshrined in Article 25 of the UN Convention are also concretely applied in the European Charter of Patients' Rights. The right of people with disabilities to be treated on an equal and non-discriminatory basis is also recalled by His Holiness Pope Francis in his latest encyclical. The DAMA (Disabled Advanced Medical Assistance) Hospital project was created to guarantee the right to health and care of people with disabilities, always, by remodelling its diagnostic and care procedures. The CAD/DAMA Service of the Terni Hospital since 2018 has adopted the DAMA project and also since 2018 has been collaborating with the Seraficio Institute of Assisi. The aim of the CAD/DAMA Service is also to promote and implement research in this area of care and training for healthcare professionals on disability and related issues.