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Community Living Association Inc
5 Nundah Street, NUNDAH Q 4012 Tel. (07) 3266 5633 Fax. (07) 3266 5866
Managing: Community Living Program, ARROS, Community Connections & BEROS
Web. www.communityliving.org.au
19 June 2020
Dear Disability Royal Commission,
I am writing on behalf of the Community Living Association (CLA) to express concerns about the failure of General Practitioners to recommend testing to patients with intellectual disability for the
COVID-19 virus. As a service that supports people with intellectual disability in Southeast
Queensland, we have heard back from a number of our constituents (service users) that their regular GP has advised them they do not need testing, even though the person has presented with flu-like symptoms.
The failure to recommend testing runs counter to the Disability Royal Commission’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to public health recommendations. Many of CLA’s constituents face
continual barriers to appropriate health care, live in congregated living arrangements such as
hostels and boarding houses, where transmission risks are high, and need significant support to
both understand and adhere to public health measures to contain the virus. Contradictory
messages from general practitioners undermine the work that CLA does in assisting its
constituents to take appropriate health measures. Many constituents already have poor overall
health and minimal financial resources. Timely screening is essential to ensure responsive
treatment should a person test positive, as well as prevent the spread of the virus to other people with disability, to family and friends and to paid support staff.
As a service, we would like to see concerted efforts made on the part of State and Federal
governments to raise awareness to general practitioners of their professional and ethical
responsibilities to all their patients, including people with intellectual disability. We hope that the Disability Royal Commission is able to influence government and community responses to the
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COVID-19 pandemic and ensure that the health and wellbeing of people with intellectual disability is given equal importance to other members of our communities.
Yours sincerely,