London Health Sciences Foundation (LHSF) is committed to excellence in serving all persons within our mission, including people with disabilities, and providing accessible services for its customers. Aligned with LHSF's core values of respect and integrity, service is provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of all customers, which includes communicating in a manner that takes into account a person's disability. The provision of services to persons with disabilities is integrated wherever possible. Persons with disabilities are given an opportunity equal to that given to others, to obtain, use or benefit from the services provided by and on behalf of the organization.
Background
London Health Sciences Foundation (LHSF or the Foundation) is committed to excellence in serving all persons within our mission, including people with disabilities, and providing accessible services for its customers. Aligned with LHSF's core values of respect, integrity and service are provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of all customers, which includes communicating in a manner that takes into account a person's disability. The provision of services to persons with disabilities is integrated wherever possible. Persons with disabilities are given an opportunity equal to that given to others, to obtain, use or benefit from the services provided by and on behalf of the organization.
Purpose
Under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005), LHSF strives to meet the requirements of the five accessibility regulations. This policy sets out compliance with the Customer Service Regulation, in accordance with Ontario Regulation 429/07. This policy applies to all staff and affiliates of the organization.
Policy
1. Use of Service Animals and Support Persons
a. Permit persons with disabilities to be accompanied by their service animals to parts of LHSF's premises that are open to the public and other third parties.
b.Where there is a need to exclude a service animal from part of the premises (e.g. for infection control reasons etc.), staff or affiliates ensure other measures are available to enable the person with a disability to obtain, use and benefit from LHSF's services. In these circumstances, the person using a service animal is expected to make arrangements for the service animal to be supervised.
c.Permit persons with disabilities to be accompanied by support persons on LHSF's premises, except where the safety of a person is at risk.
2. Use of Assistive Devices
a. LHSF makes reasonable efforts to ensure that persons with disabilities can use their assistive devices when accessing services.
3. Notice of Temporary Disruptions
a. Provide public notice when LHSF's facilities, amenities or services are temporarily unavailable, or when they are anticipated to be unavailable.
b. Post notice signs on the external website and at conspicuous locations near the disruption. The notices must contain information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of available alternative services.
c. Notice of Temporary Disruption Procedure - any disruption will be provided to the public by posting a sign on the front door of the Foundation Office and LHSF website.
4. Accessibility Training
a. Provide accessibility training to every staff or affiliate who deals with members of the public or participates in the development or approval of policies, practices and procedures governing the provision services to the public.
b. Provide training as soon as feasible after a person is hired or assigned to a new role as described in 4.a.
c. Refer to the Appendix A for the Customer Service Training Plan (attached).
d. Maintain a record of dates on which the training was provided, the names of participants, and the number of people who participated.
5. Customer Feedback
a. Respond to feedback from persons with disabilities about accessibility concerns obtained through various channels such as:
- In person
- By mail
- By email
- By telephone
b. Refer to Appendix B for the Customer Feedback Procedure (not yet published any Complaints will follow LHSF Complaints Policy).
6. Notice of Availability of Documents
a. Provide public notice that the documents required by the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (O. Reg 429/07) and the Ontarians with Disabilities Act (S.O. 2001, Chapter 32) are available upon request, as well as through an external website and in print.
7. Format of Documents
a. Reasonable efforts are made to ensure documents required by the Customer Services Regulation are in a format that meets the needs of the person requesting the document.
8. Reporting
a. Maintain policies, procedures and other documents to demonstrate compliance with the Customer Services Regulation.
b. Submit an annual accessibility report, including an annual accessibility plan as per the Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2001), to the senior leadership team.
c. File an annual accessibility report with the Ontario Government and make his report available to the public.
Definitions
Accessible - Customers are provided service or care in a manner that is capable of being easily understood and accessed.
Affiliates - Individuals who are associated with the Foundation, performing specific tasks for the Foundation, including the following:
- Professionals with Foundation privileges - refers to those professionals formallyaffiliated with the Foundation through the process of review of credentials andapproval of privileges.
- Students - Individuals gaining practical experience in the Foundation whetherdirectly affiliated with the Foundation or not.
- Volunteers - Individuals who perform recognized functions within the Foundationon a volunteer basis.
- Contractors - Individuals who are performing work in the Foundation on atemporary basis. These individuals may be under direct contract to theFoundation or may be members of a third party contract (e.g., consultants, construction workers, landscape/snow removal workers).
- Suppliers - Individuals who are not in the direct or indirect employment of the Foundation but with whom the Foundation carries out business arrangements.
- Individuals working at LHSF but funded through an external source
Assistive Devices - Assistive devices are intended to enable people with physical disabilities to increase their independence. There are more than 8000 types of assistive devices such as equipment or supplies in the following categories:
- Prostheses
- Wheelchairs/mobility aids and specialized seating systems
- Enteral feeding supplies
- Monitors and test strips for insulin-dependent diabetics
- Insulin pumps and supplies
- Hearing aids
- Respiratory equipment
- Orthoses (braces, garments and pumps)
- Visual and communication aids
- Oxygen and oxygen delivery equipment such as concentrators, cylinders, liquid systems and related supplies, such as masks and tubing.
Barrier - A barrier is anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of his or her disability, including a physical barrier, architectural barrier, information or communications barrier, attitudinal barrier, technological barrier, a policy or a practice.
Disability - A disability is:
- Any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury anydegree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness orvisual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device.
- A condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability.
- A learning disability or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved inunderstanding or using symbols or spoken language.
- A mental disorder.
- An injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997
Service Animal - Service animals are used by people with many different kinds of disabilities. Examples of service animals include dogs used by people who are blind, hearing alert animals for people who are Deaf, deafened or hard of hearing, and animals trained to alert an individual to an oncoming seizure and lead them to safety. Ferrets, miniature donkeys, cats and parrots are other examples of service animals.
An animal is a service animal for a person with a disability if it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability or if the person provides a letter from a physician or nurse confirming that the person requires the animal.
Support Person - Support persons are used by people with many different kinds of disabilities. Some people with disabilities rely on support persons for certain services or assistance, such as using the washroom or facilitating communication. A support person may be a paid professional, a volunteer, a family member or friend of the person with a disability.
References
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005)
Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Ontario Regulation 429/07
Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2001)
Management of Compliments and Complaints
Guide: Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Ontario Regulation 429/07
Ministry of Health and Long Term Care - Assistive Devices Program