The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)

In May 2001 the new Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) was endorsed by the World Health Assembly (WHO 2001). This marked the finalisation of a revision of the ICIDH (WHO 1980), a process that involved several years of redevelopment and testing by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its Collaborating Centres, including the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. The ICF has been developed for use in describing functioning and disability. It is now recognised as a core member of the WHO family of health-related classifications, complementary to the ICD, which focuses on diseases and health conditions.