Access for All

25/09/2024

04/09/2024

Meet the Access for All Team | Care Expo Brisbane

Access for All is a free online course that aims to improve disability awareness among health providers and increase understanding about the barriers people with disability experience when accessing healthcare.

Meet Mandy and the Access for All Team at the
, site P416, to find out about the course and how you can support people with disability to access healthcare and improve their wellbeing.

The event is free to attend.

Friday 6 September - Saturday 7 September

Care Expo Brisbane

9am - 4pm

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
Cnr Merivale St and Glenelg St
Brisbane

Access for All is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.

12/08/2024

Last weekend CheckUP’s Access for All manager, Amanda Frier, joined Dr Dinesh Palipana and Dr Sharon Boyce in facilitating a workshop at the AMA24 conference on the Gold Coast.

“We called the workshop ‘Accessibility: More than just a ramp’ because we wanted to help people understand the depth and true meaning of ‘access’. The focus was on disability awareness and accessibility in healthcare, and we provided strategies and tools to help put improved accessibility into action”.

‘Accessibility: More than just a ramp’ was interactive and applicable to daily practice. “We wanted the doctors to feel as though they could leave the workshop with the tools to equip them in improving the accessibility of the health care they provide”.

The workshop showcased the resources developed by the Access for All team and their advisory group. To make sure these resources were practical and usable, and were what health providers wanted, a group of health professionals including doctors, nurses, allied health and health administrators also contributed to the resource development.

The Access for All resources provide simple steps for improving the accessibility of healthcare for people with disability.

1. Conduct an accessibility audit
2. Gather consumer feedback
3. Summarise the accessibility improvements identified in the audit and from consumer feedback
4. Implement accessibility improvement strategies
5. Schedule accessible appointments
6. Conduct accessible interventions

Accompanying these steps are matching tools, specifically developed to put accessibility improvements into action.

Click here to find the Access for All accessibility improvement resources. Improving Accessibility - CheckUP - https://checkup.org.au/what-we-do/online-training/access-for-all/resources/improving-accessibility/

16/07/2024

Disability awareness is one part of CheckUP’s important work. Our purpose is to create healthy communities and reduce health inequities.

Take a look at this video produced by our health services team, ‘Healthcare Closer to Home’. CheckUP’s broad approach to improving health equity for those who need it most, no matter where you live or what your circumstances may be, means many of the barriers to accessing healthcare for people with disability are also addressed.

26/06/2024

Disability awareness prioritised in the next generation of health professionals!

Last week ‘Access for All’ hosted a stand at the Careers Expo held by CheckUP’s ‘Health Gateway’ team.
Over 2000 students interested in a career in health made their way through the exhibition.

The ‘Access for All’ team were blown away by the enthusiasm and importance students placed on disability awareness, accessibility and inclusion, no matter what career you choose.

With so many potential health providers embracing the message ‘Access for All’ provides we are filled with hope and excitement that disability awareness, accessibility and inclusion for people with disability will continue to improve for generations to come.

06/06/2024

Discover how 'Access for All' has added to the health care provided to First Nations People with disability at Townsville Aboriginal and Islanders Health Service provide (TAIHS)

29/05/2024

What is ABLEISM?

Ableism is when someone treats a person differently because they have a disability.

People with disability encounter negative attitudes and behaviours throughout their lives. Ableism is the word most commonly used to describe attitudes that motivate harmful or discriminatory behaviour toward people with disability. Like sexism and racism, ableism is a broad term, and it is hurtful and harmful to people with disability.

It involves attitudes and behaviours that class people with disability as different, less than or inferior to people without disability, incapable of exercising choice and control, and as a burden on society.

Ableism is more than just negative and prejudiced attitudes about people with disability. It occurs when prejudice is accompanied by the power to discriminate against, repress or limit the rights of others.

What can you do?

1. Be careful with your words and actions, even when people with disability are not around.

2. Reflect on the things you say and do, and think about the impact they may have on people with disability.

3. When you notice ableism, kindly call it out. Don’t allow the flow on effects of ableism to continue.

https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/final-report-executive-summary-our-vision-inclusive-australia-and-recommendations

22/05/2024

The Royal Commission has made 222 recommendations on how to improve laws, policies, structures and practices to ensure a more inclusive and just society that supports the independence of people with disability and their right to live free from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.

The Final Report consists of 12 Volumes plus an additional introductory volume, which includes the Chair’s foreword, our vision for an inclusive Australia, an executive summary and the full list of recommendations. All volumes of the Final Report are available in various accessible formats. Click on a volume below to view and download these formats. Printed copies of the Final Report can be ordered from our Order resources page.

The Royal Commission has also published A brief Guide to the Final Report. This guide explains how information is organised in the Final report. It is for a broad audience including people with disability, their families and carers, other members of the Australian community, disability advocates, service providers and people looking to quickly find the information they need.

Additionally, the Royal Commission has published a brochure called Listening to First Nations people with disability. This brochure describes what we heard from First Nations people with disability and their families and communities about the issues and challenges they face. It also describes some of the changes needed to create an Australia where First Nations people with disability are included.
The final report was first published on 29 September 2023. Subsequently, minor corrections were made and an updated report was published on 2 November 2023. The corrections are listed in the Corrigendum.

15/05/2024

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has released the latest report about people with disability, “People with disability in Australia 2024”. The report is part of a series first published in 2019. Also included, is a series of fact sheets associated with the report.

Key areas covered
- Prevalence of Disability in Australia
- The Health of People with Disability
- Social Support
- Justice and Safety
- Housing
- Education and Skills
- Employment
- Income and Finances

More than just numbers:

The report goes beyond statistics to explore the lived experiences of Australians with disability. It delves into areas like:
- Access to education and employment opportunities
- Participation in community life
- The impact of disability on mental and physical health

What does it all mean and how is it used:

This report is a crucial resource for policymakers, service providers, and disability advocacy groups. The data will inform strategies to:
- Improve access to healthcare, education, and employment opportunities for people with disability.
- Promote social inclusion and address discrimination.
- Invest in support services that enhance the quality of life for Australians with disability.

To access the entire document follow this link: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/725731a5-5296-4b8d-8e49-40fa64937fb2/aihw-dis-72-people-with-disability-in-australia-2024.pdf?v=20240403105922&inline=true

13/05/2024

Understanding Disability Through Intersectionality

The multi-layered experiences of people with disabiliy is often described as intersectionality.

https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/final-report-executive-summary-our-vision-inclusive-australia-and-recommendations

Examples of how intersectionality helps us understand disability:

A person with a visual impairment might face challenges navigating public spaces. Now consider, a woman with visual impairment may also experience additional gender-based discrimination. Then, if she were part of the LGBTQIA+ community she may also be exposed to the prejudice and associated barriers experienced within that community.

People with disability from certain ethnicities may be stereotyped as being good at specific tasks. This stereotyping behaviour can ignore the challenges they face in other areas of life and can create further marginalisation.

Intersectionality in Action:

Imagine a healthcare setting. A Deaf woman might need sign language interpretation during a doctor's appointment. If she also has a low income, transportation to the appointment itself may become another hurdle. An intersectional approach in healthcare would consider both her communication needs and socioeconomic background.

Consider employment opportunities. A young man with autism might struggle with social interaction in a traditional workplace setting. But with accommodations and a supportive employer, he could thrive.

07/05/2024

As reflected in the ‘Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), people with disability have the right to be treated equally to people without disability. Substantive equality appreciates that some people may need different treatment to achieve equitable outcomes and protects their human rights. This is approach is central to the CRPD.
https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/final-report-executive-summary-our-vision-inclusive-australia-and-recommendations

What is equality?
Equality is recognising that, as human beings, we all have the same value. This means, we all have the same rights, we should all receive the same level of respect, and have the same access to opportunities. This isn’t just a nice idea - there are actual laws supporting this.

What is equity?
Equity is about everyone achieving equal outcomes. We all have the same value and deserve a good life, but we all start from a different place. We are also all wonderfully different and experience the world in our own unique way. It’s because of these differences that we sometimes need to be treated differently for us all to live safely, healthily, happily…and equally! This means that we need to look at what individual people and communities need in order to achieve equity.

What can you do?
It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, where you live, what you look like, what you believe, think or do, every human has the same value and is deserving of the same opportunities.

30/04/2024

Everyone deserves access to quality healthcare. However, people with disability often face obstacles in obtaining the care they need. These barriers can be physical, digital, or procedural, hindering their ability to navigate the healthcare system effectively.

Here are some key areas where healthcare can become more inclusive:

Digital Accessibility: Websites, patient portals, and telehealth platforms should be designed with accessibility in mind. This includes features like screen readers, keyboard navigation, and closed captioning.

Physical Accessibility: Healthcare facilities need to ensure physical accessibility with ramps, accessible restrooms, and adjustable equipment to accommodate various needs

Recruitment and Workplace Practices: Healthcare institutions should adopt flexible interviewing practices and create accessible workspaces for employees with disability. Training on disability etiquette for staff is also crucial.

Clear Communication: Straightforward communication is key. Offer accessible formats (Braille, audio recordings) for policies and procedures, and ensure clear communication channels for appointment booking and cancellations and organise interpreters when required.

To ensure your success in creating a truly inclusive environment and product/service, we highly recommend partnering with organisations like the Australian Disability Network (ADN) or other disability advocacy groups. Their expertise can guide you through the process, ensuring you're on the right track towards inclusivity.

ADN: https://australiandisabilitynetwork.org.au/