disability policy

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disability policy

This is hygeia dental care’s policy about discrimination on grounds of disability. Hygeia dental care is committed to working towards equality of opportunity for every member of the team and this policy is one important way of achieving this objective.

the policy

Hygeia dental care recognises that discrimination on the grounds of disability is harmful and in many cases illegal. Through this policy, through training and by example, we wish to demonstrate that we will not tolerate discrimination by anyone working at the practice.

patients

The practice and its personnel will not treat people with disabilities less favourably than other people because of a disability. Less favourable treatment includes: refusing to treat a patient with a disability; giving a them a lower standard of service or treating them in a worse manner than a patient who has no disability; and offering a person with disabilities less favourable terms.

Exceptions may be made when, in the dentist’s opinion: either the patient or someone else would come to some harm if the dentist did not refuse treatment; a patient with a disability is unable to understand that treatment must be paid for and the situation would mean negating or no longer providing the service.

The practice will do its best to change or remove policies, practices and procedures that make it very difficult or impossible for patients with disabilities to use the practice.

employees

The practice will not unjustifiably treat an employee with a disability less favourably (for a reason that relates to a disability). The practice will not discriminate against a person with disabilities:

• in the arrangements made for determining who should be offered employment
• in the terms on which they are offered employment
• by refusing to offer or deliberately not offering them employment
• in the opportunities that are afforded to an employee for promotion, transfer, training or receiving any other benefits
• by refusing to afford, or deliberately not affording, any such opportunity
• by dismissal or any other detriment.

dealing with persons with a disability

Most people want to treat employees, job applicants and patients with disabilities the same way as everyone else but are not always sure how to go about it. These suggestions are not part of the law, but they may be useful when meeting persons with disabilities:

• People with disabilities are individuals just like everybody else. Don’t make assumptions about their abilities or their needs. Don’t forget that some disabilities are hidden, for example, epilepsy and mental illness.
• If you are not sure how something might affect a person with a disability, ask them for their advice.

communication

• If a person with a disability is accompanied by someone, talk to the person with the disability directly, not to their companion. This also applies to a person with hearing difficulties who is accompanied by a sign language interpreter.
• When talking to a person with hearing difficulties, find out – if necessary in writing – whether they lip-read. If so, make sure your face is in the light, look directly at the person, speak clearly and naturally, remembering to keep your hands away from your face.
• When you first meet a person who is blind or has limited vision, introduce yourself. When you are going to move away, tell them. Do not leave them talking to an empty space.
• When you are talking to someone who has difficulty speaking, concentrate on what is being said, be patient, and do not try to guess what they want to say. If you don’t understand, do not pretend that you do.
• If someone has difficulty understanding you – perhaps because they have learning difficulties – be patient and be prepared to explain something more than once. Concentrate on using simple language.
• When talking to a person who uses a wheelchair, try to ensure that your eyes are at the same level as theirs, perhaps by sitting down. Do not lean on the wheelchair – it is part of a person’s personal space.
• Avoid asking personal questions about disabilities, such as, ‘Were you born like that?’ But an employer could ask: ‘Does your disability affect your ability to do this job?’
• If someone looks ‘different’, avoid staring. Concentrate on what they are saying, not on the way they look.
• If you are talking to an adult, treat them like an adult.

assistance

• If someone looks as if they may need assistance, offer it, but wait for them to accept before you help.
• When guiding a person with limited sight or who is blind, do not push or pull the person. Ask if they would like to take hold of your arm. If there are any steps, say whether the steps go up or down.
• Remember that guide dogs, hearing dogs and other assistance dogs are working dogs, not pets. They should not be fed, patted or distracted when they are working.
• Above all, put yourself in the other person’s place. Most of the above points are just good manners.

language

Some of the words and phrases we habitually use offend people with disabilities, because they suggest that they are dependent or helpless. Some words such as ‘cripple’ or ‘retarded’ have become terms of abuse or are used to mock people. Below are some common words to avoid with suggested alternatives:

• Instead of “the disabled”, say “people with disabilities”
• Instead of “suffering from/crippled by/afflicted by/a victim of”, say “a person who has/a person with”
• Instead of “deaf and dumb” say “deaf without speech”
• Instead of “an epileptic” say “a person with epilepsy”
• Instead of “spastic” say “a person with cerebral palsy”
• Instead of “mentally handicapped/subnormal” say “a person with a learning disability”
• Instead of “confined to a wheelchair/wheelchair bound” say “wheelchair user”

facilities for people with disabilities

Numerous features of the practice were built to enable access for people with disabilities:

• There is ample free car-parking immediately outside the building
• The car park is flat, with no steps, kerbs or other hazards
• There is an access ramp leading to the front door
• There is a railing with a handrail all the way up one side of the ramp
• The inside of the building is on a single level with no steps or ramps at all
• The external and internal doors are broad enough to accommodate wheelchairs
• The footpath approaches to the building are broad, free of hazards and have lowered kerbs to facilitate wheelchair access

We have also made changes intended to improve access for patients with disabilities:

• We have installed dental units in each surgery with a special instrument arm – these allow the dentist to work on a patient while they are still seated in their wheelchair, if necessary
• Our reception desk was built with a lowered section to make it easier for wheelchair users to speak to the receptionist
• 21 external lights have been placed on and around the building to ensure safe access for all during the dark winter months, but especially for people with limited vision
• Our access ramp was built with a door sill at the top, but we now have a removable ramp that we put in place for wheelchair users when they visit
• The furniture inside the building has been arranged to allow easy passage for wheelchair users
• The entrance doors and the railings on the access ramp have been painted in a colour that strongly contrasts with the rest of the building to make them more obvious to people with visual impairments
• We have high-contrast colours for our furnishings in the reception and waiting areas, again to help people with visual impairments
• There are “high-seat” dining chairs in addition to the sofa and armchairs in the waiting area to cater for those with arthritis or who otherwise find it difficult to get into or out of soft or low seats
• We have also installed new, clear, bold professional nameplates in place of the old, harder-to-read brass nameplates
• The treatment room doors have been replaced with newer ones that are easier to open (for people with physical disabilities and wheelchair users) because they do not have a latch mechanism
• We have fitted high slip-resistance floor coverings throughout the building, partly to assist those who have difficulty walking
• The outer door to the male toilet has been re-hung to swing in the opposite direction – it had previously been impossible for anyone with a frame or wheelchair to manoeuvre into the toilet
• Commonly used printed practice literature is available in a large-print format – eg the price list
• All other printed material and correspondence can be produced in large print on request
• All practice information has been made available on our website to provide easy access for those with limited vision or hearing
• We have the facility to communicate by email and SMS text message rather than by telephone – which can make life easier for people with limited hearing
• We have installed grab-rails in the practice toilets to help patients with limited mobility (2011)
• We have installed a new hand-rail to the left hand side of the entrance ramp to help patients with limited mobility (2014)

If you are a patient and have any suggestions for further improvements that would help you, please contact us.

Web version 4: 27.8.2022
Previous web versions: 1.10.2000 (Reviewed 4.2.2011, 26.1.2012; 13.3.2013; 19.6.2014); 17.7.2014; 3.8.2016 (Reviewed 1.9.2017; 11.11.2018; 9.11.2019; 12.8.2020; 18.11.2021)