Cohort profile: a data linkage cohort to examine health service profiles of people with intellectual disability in New South Wales, Australia.

Purpose: People with intellectual disability are a minority group who experience poorer physical and mental health than the general population and have difficulty accessing healthcare services. There is lack of knowledge about healthcare service needs and gaps experienced by people with intellectual disability. This study aims to interrogate a large linked administrative data set containing hospital admissions, presentations to emergency departments (ED) and mortality data to provide evidence to inform the development of improved health and mental health services for this population.

Competency based advanced training in Intellectual Disability Psychiatry: a NSW prototype.

Objective: This paper describes a competency based advanced training year in adult Intellectual Disability Psychiatry enabled through a partnership between disability and mental health sectors. This training experience could be viewed as a prototype for further specialised training schemes in Intellectual Disability Psychiatry, and has relevance for the implementation of competency based psychiatric training schemes in Australia.

Conclusions: The need for a specific training curriculum in Intellectual Disability Psychiatry is outlined with reference to epidemiological evidence and human rights.