| Accessibility Plan |
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The purpose of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 (ODA) is to improve opportunities for people with disabilities and to provide for their involvement in the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to their full participation in the life of the province. To this end, the ODA requires each hospital to prepare an annual accessibility plan; to consult with persons with disabilities in the preparation of this plan; and to make the plan public. This is the plan for 2008. The plan describes: (1) the measures that North Wellington Health Care (NWHC) has taken in the past, and (2) the measures that North Wellington Health Care will take in the future to identify, remove and prevent barriers to people with disabilities who live, work in or use the facilities and services of North Wellington Health Care, including patients and their family members, staff, health care practitioners, volunteers and members of the community. North Wellington Health Care is committed to the continual improvement of access to hospital facilities, policies, programs, practices and services for patients and their family members, staff, health care practitioners, volunteers and members of the community with disabilities; the participation of persons with disabilities in the development and review of its annual accessibility plan; and the provision of quality services to all patients and their family members and members of the community with disabilities. Originally over 15 barriers to persons with disabilities were identified (2004). The most significant findings were that a number of architectural and physical barriers exist within the facilities operated by North Wellington Health Care. For 2008, 10 key areas have been identified as priorities and included in the action plan.
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