Accessibility Policy

Two Rivers Family Health Team (TRFHT), comprised of HealthLink Family Practice and Hespeler Medical Clinic, welcomes and encourages patients living with disabilities to use our services. We strive to provide access to programs and services for patients with disabilities in a way that respects their rights to dignity, independence and integration.

TRFHT is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes and encourages applications from peoples with disabilities.

Standards:

Two Rivers Family Health Team will consider the individual needs of people with disabilities in delivering service by:

• Communication:
  • We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that takes into account their disability
• Assistive Devices:
  • We provide an on-site wheelchair, automatic doors and wheelchair accessible washrooms, and will make reasonable efforts to permit the use of other assistive devices that enable patients with disabilities to access our services
• Support Persons:
  • We welcome accompanying support people for those patients who need assistance with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs
• Service Animals:
  • We welcome service animals that are needed to assist patients with disabilities
• Employee Training: Two Rivers will provide staff with:
  • Accessibility standard training
  • TRFHT’s policy and procedures related to the Customer Service Standard
  • How to properly interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities

Procedures:

Notice of Temporary Disruption of Services: In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in services, which will affect patients with disabilities, Two Rivers FHT will notify all affected patients. This notice will be clearly posted and will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length of time and a description of available alternatives, if available.

Feedback Process: Comments on our services are welcomed and appreciated. Feedback can be made verbally to any of our team members or in writing to Two Rivers Family Health Team, B12-350 Conestoga Blvd., Cambridge, Ontario N1R 7L7.

Patients and caregivers are also invited to provide feedback electronically, using the “Resolving Care Concerns” form on our website. This form can be accessed by visiting www.tworiversfht.ca. Please click on the “Contact Us” button, followed by the “Resolving Care Concerns” link to the left of the webpage.

Hiring and Employment Processes:

Hiring:
As an equal opportunity employer, accommodations will be available upon request for applicants throughout all stages of the application process.

Employment:
Workplace Information: Upon request, any information related to the workplace will be provided in an accessible format to any staff member with a disability. This may include but is not limited to:

• Emergency information (i.e. Fire Exit Plan)
• Job description
• Talent and Performance Management (i.e. performance reviews, promotion)
• Manuals
• Newsletters
• Health and Safety information and any related policies/procedures

Employer: The employer is responsible for ensuring all policies and procedures are communicated to all staff in a manner in which is deemed accessible to each employee.

Employee: The employee is encouraged to disclose, in confidence, any accessibility requirements to their direct manager.

Accessible Formats may include but are not limited to:

• Larger print for people with low vision
• Providing more time for an employee to complete a task
• Using plain language for someone with a learning disability

Developed in Consultation with:

• TRFHT Governance Committee
• TRFHT Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee

References:

• The Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act and its Regulations
• Ministry of Labour