Media Release

The horrific, and preventable, death of Stewart Kelly highlights the need for urgent action to improve health care for people with intellectual disability, the National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health says.

An Ombudsman investigation into Mr Kelly's death at Robina Hospital in 2022 found staff lacked adequate training to manage the complex needs associated with his neurodevelopmental condition.

Director of the National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health, Scientia Professor Julian Trollor, said the case reflects broader, systemic challenges in the health system.

"What has occurred is distressing and our thoughts are with Stewart Kelly's family and friends," Professor Trollor said.

"Unfortunately, it is also a stark reminder that people with intellectual disability continue to face significant barriers when accessing healthcare."

Research shows that people with intellectual disability die, on average, 27 years earlier than other Australians - often from preventable conditions.

"Too many people with intellectual disability are losing their lives early because they are not receiving the healthcare they need and deserve," Professor Trollor said.

"Despite decades of research and numerous inquiries, people with intellectual disability continue to experience higher rates of preventable illness, delayed diagnosis, communication barriers and poorer health outcomes across their lives."

The Centre's recently released Position Statement outlines the core capabilities every health professional should have when caring for people with intellectual disability, including effective communication, reasonable adjustments and genuine partnership in care. It calls for a nationally coordinated approach to embed these skills across health education and training.

As a practical next step, the Centre is calling on the Federal Government to commit $10 million over four years to fund scholarships for primary healthcare professionals to undertake continuing professional development in intellectual disability health.

"Many health professionals tell us they want to deliver better care, but most have never received any formal training in this area," Professor Trollor said.

Right now, that training simply isn’t available at the scale required."

Professor Trollor said while nothing can undo the loss experienced by Mr Kelly's family, meaningful reform can help prevent similar tragedies.

"Mr Kelly’s death should serve as a wake-up call to everyone involved in health policy, training and service delivery," he said.

"We cannot change what has happened, but we can and should do better. We need to learn from this tragedy and build a health system that is safer, more inclusive and better equipped to care for people with intellectual disability."

Media contact: Meg Bacalhau 0452567844