Praise for UK University’s Disability-Inclusive Health Research

A UK university has been recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a global exemplar in disability‑inclusive health research.

Kingston University is featured in a major new WHO report highlighting best practice around the world entitled ‘Good practices on disability-inclusive health’.

The report showcases the university’s pioneering approach to involving people with intellectual disabilities as active researchers rather than solely as participants in studies.

Central to the recognition is Kingston University Intellectual Disability (KIND) research group (pictured above), led by Professor of Intellectual Disability and Palliative Care Irene Tuffrey-Wijne.

Since 2020, the group has fundamentally transformed how health research is conducted by employing several researchers with intellectual disabilities as equal partners.

Together they co-produce studies on critical and often overlooked topics including palliative and end-of-life care, death, dying, bereavement and health equity.

A centrepiece of the KIND group’s impact is the development of the Victoria and Stuart toolkit. This innovative resource, designed to support difficult conversations about dying, has become a national benchmark for inclusive end-of-life planning.

The WHO report highlights how the toolkit has been adopted by NHS Trusts, service providers and training programs across the UK, as well as being translated for use internationally.

The report also spotlights Kingston University’s delivery of research training courses to 18 students with intellectual disabilities, 13 of whom have since secured paid research positions. In addition the KIND group has contributed to the Learning Disability Mortality Review (LeDeR) – a major NHS England report investigating avoidable deaths of people with learning disabilities.

“They really are the experts about their own lives, together with their families and carers,” said Professor Tuffrey-Wijne.

“Inclusive research leads to better policies and resources, like our co-produced end-of-life care planning toolkit. The KIND Research Group could not do this without the support of Kingston University in making reasonable adjustments to enable the employment of disabled researchers.”

The WHO report concludes the KIND group serves as a vital evidence-based case study for other nations aiming to achieve the highest attainable standard of health for people with disabilities.

You can read the WHO report here https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/6f890c17-4860-43ce-aaf3-1eb55a5020e1/content and find out more about KIND here https://www.kingston.ac.uk/research/HSSCE/the-kind-research-group-intellectual-disability-research