Communicating with people who have intellectual disabilities

Much of the art of general practice lies in the ability to communicate. For this reason, successful general practitioners tend to have highly developed skills in listening and talking to their patients. The process, however, becomes more difficult when patients do not share these verbal skills. The worldwide move towards the reintegration of previously institutionalised people means that most Australian general practitioners will encounter more intellectually disabled people in their practices. This accessing of mainstream health services appears to result in better quality care being available to this previously neglected group, although many people with intellectual disabilities report frustration in communicating effectively with their general practitioners.