Scope of Service

The National Health Strategy identified individuals with disabilities as priority population. PHCC provides a set of primary care services for individuals with disabilities, aligned with national requirements and objectives. PHCC provides a customized environment to individuals with disabilities, to improve access to healthcare services.

PHCC disabilities services include:

The Fast-tracked Flow (FTF) Service

The FTF service is developed to facilitate fast-tracked appointment booking, fast track consultation and service delivery for clients with disabilities, with primary focus on autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

The FTF service provides:

• Use of disabilities car parking slots available on the ground floor or Basement 1 (B1) by individuals with disabilities who have a car parking sign from the Ministry of Interior.
• Walk-in clients can approach Hayyak team for disabilities Q-matic number.
• Clients with booked appointment may approach Hayyak team for assistance.

Sensory-friendly Environment

Sensory rooms are calm and convenient environment to support engagement and interaction with world around, that may help individuals with learning difficulties, developmental disabilities (Including Autism), and sensory processing impairment. The sensory rooms are available at 10 health centers including Al Daayen, Um Slal, Al Thumama, Leabaib, Rawdat Al Khail, Qatar University, Al Waab, Muaither, Al Wajba and Al Meshaf health centers.

Sensory Friendly Bags

In alignment with the sensory friendly initiative, PHCC provides sensory friendly bags, which contain a set of sensory friendly toys, tailored to the sensory input of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The sensory-friendly bags initiative is developed to provide facilitated service access to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). 

Special Needs Access Policy

PHCC owns service access policy designed to support smooth and facilitated pathway for individuals with disabilities. The policy focuses on providing standard guidance to all PHCC staff to support and enable clients access to primary care services.

Workforce Training

Sign Language Training:

Sign Language training was delivered to PHCC staff. The Sign Language training is designed to acquire PHCC staff basic sign language skills, to facilitate smooth health center visits by clients with hearing impairment, and to improve disabilities clients’ pathway when accessing the health centers.

PHCC Service Access: Visually Impaired Clients Perspective Training:

Visually Impaired Clients Perspective Training was delivered to provide PHCC staff the capacity to effectively communicate with individuals with visual disabilities. The training is designed to facilitate smooth health center visits by visually impaired clients with the support of PHCC staff.

Autism Awareness Training

Autism Awareness training was delivered to all PHCC staff. The training aim was to enhance awareness and understanding of Autism, to improve knowledge and expertise of workforce in the primary care setting, and to deliver primary care services that are tailored to the needs of individuals with Autism.

ASD Schools Awareness Training

Autism Awareness Training was launched in governmental and private schools in Qatar, delivered by PHCC Autism focal staff. The training targets all schools staff who are involved in direct communication with students. The purpose of the Autism Awareness training in schools is to enhance knowledge and awareness about Autism, to support teachers and other schools’ staff in addressing the educational and behavioral needs of individuals with ASD in schools’ settings.

Research Projects

The Child & Adolescent Health established research projects in topics related to the scope of service delivered, these research projects are:

• Disabilities prevalence study: The disabilities prevalence study focuses on yielding information about the total percentage of disabilities diagnoses among PHCC population and on identifying associated demographic factors.
• Toddler & Infant Red Flags screening checklist validation, in collaboration with Department of Psychological Sciences College of Education, Qatar University, 2018.
• Young Adults with ASD: Health Needs Assessment and Pathways to Care in collaboration with WISH, 2018, in progress.

World Autism Awareness Day

World Autism Awareness Day is recognized on 2 April every year. PHCC celebrates World Autism Day every year through different set of activities.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

ASD screening is performed as part of the Well-baby Clinic (WBC) service, at 18 & 30 months of age and at any age, if related to parental concern. 

EarlyBird Program

EarlyBird is a community support program offered for parents of children diagnosed with Autism aged less than (7) years, to help understand their child diagnosis and behavior. 

Target Group 

• All age groups with primary focus on children and adolescents.

Type of Access

• Physician Referral: Referrals from primary care physicians or specialists.

• Self-Referral: child/ adolescent’s guardians can self-refer to the service without a prior physician referral.

Facilitated service access provided to individual with disabilities is upon health center visit, as part of standard care pathway.