Irish people with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience poorer health outcomes compared to people without ID. Inaccessibility of healthcare is one probable cause. To address this issue, Special Olympics International initiated the Rosemary Collaboratory, selecting teams in ten countries, including Ireland, to assess healthcare inclusivity for people with ID. An Irish team comprising researchers and stakeholders are currently conducting this first-of-its-kind comprehensive evaluation, focusing on healthcare system operations, service delivery, coverage, and outcomes for people with ID. To disseminate the findings and leverage them into actionable system improvement initiatives, we are proposing an education and outreach event, titled “Advancing inclusive healthcare for people with intellectual disabilities: Sharing knowledge and connecting expertise”. This event’s primary objectives are to (1) Disseminate findings from the first comprehensive assessment of Ireland’s healthcare system’s inclusiveness for people with ID and (2) Build capacity and foster collaborations to develop and implement an advocacy and system improvement plan based on the National assessment findings. The event will also highlight Ireland’s prominence as a leader in inclusive healthcare for people with ID, recognising Ireland as being one of only ten countries to be selected for the Rosemary Collaboratory. This event will be held at the University of Limerick in September 2024 and will involve people with ID, their families, healthcare professionals, policy makers, advocacy groups, and researchers. The event will involve a variety of keynote addresses and networking activities. The event’s interactive presentations will be recorded and disseminated via national advocacy groups and event organisers will collaborate with media outlets to reach a wider national audience. Special Olympics Ireland and Special Olympics International will support the event and host and disseminate the event nationally and internationally.
