NL Health Services’ Accessibility Plan

Background

Everyone has the right to receive equitable health care services. At Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) Health Services, our goal is to provide quality health care to all residents of the province. To do that, we must understand the barriers to access individuals experiencing inequalities face and work hard to remove or reduce those barriers.

Did you know that 1 in 4 people in Newfoundland and Labrador identify as having a disability? Others also face barriers, including Indigenous communities, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, new Canadians and seniors.

We are developing an Accessibility Plan for NL Health Services to improve accessibility to our programs and services for persons with disabilities by identifying, preventing and actively working to address barriers that prevent access. The plan will be finalized in 2024 and specific actions will be further developed and implemented in 2025 and 2026 with consultation from key partners and the public.

NL Health Services wants to ensure you know how important this is to us. Health equity is one of our five strategic priorities for 2024 – 2026. We are focused on improving care experiences for those experiencing inequalities.

How can you participate?

As we develop and implement an Accessibility Plan, we want to listen to and learn from those with lived experiences. Our goal is to ensure diverse perspectives and lived experiences are reflected in the plan. Please engage with us as we develop this important strategy. While we may not be able to address each individual concern raised, we promise to listen and learn from your diverse perspectives and lived experiences and reflect your concerns and hopes in developing organizational priorities for the Accessibility Plan.

We will offer opportunities to engage further as we implement this plan over the next two years.

Participation Opportunities

Share your Experience: Accessibility Barriers

Tell us about the barriers to accessibility you have witnessed or experienced.
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Share your Input: Priorities for NL Health Services' Accessibility Plan

Thank you for your input on the Accessibility Plan priorities. The project team is reviewing the feedback we received, and the plan is being finalized. Once approved, it will be posted on this page for you to read.

Recent Updates

What We Heard Report: Accessibility Plan Stage One Engagement

Why We Engaged

The departments of Human Resources (People, Retention and Culture) and Public Health (Wellbeing) were tasked with developing an Accessibility Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) Health Services by December 31, 2024. Public engagement is required for both the plan's development and implementation over the next two years to ensure diverse perspectives and lived experiences are accounted for in the plan.

Important Definitions

Accommodation: An accommodation is any technical aid or device, personal support or disability-related support or other accommodation a person may require. This can include (but is not limited to): accessible meeting rooms; accessible formats such as Braille and plain language; mobility supports to attend a meeting; and, sign language interpreters, captioning or ensuring space has sensory sensitive features.
Barrier: A barrier means anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in society, including a physical barrier, an architectural barrier, an information or communications barrier, an attitudinal barrier, a technological barrier, or a barrier established or perpetuated by an Act, regulations, a policy or a practice.
Disability: The Accessibility Act says: “a disability includes a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment or a functional limitation that is permanent, temporary or episodic in nature, that, in interaction with a barrier, prevents a person from fully participating in society.”
Equity: Equity is a commitment to fairness. Equitable access is different from equal access. Equality means everybody is treated the same; equity means everybody is treated fairly, based on their needs and abilities.