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{{org_field_name}}

Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

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Accessible Premises and Disability Inclusion Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that {{org_field_name}} provides an inclusive, accessible, and safe environment for all people we support, staff, and visitors, regardless of disability. We are committed to upholding the principles of the Equality Act 2010 and Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, ensuring compliance with CQC requirements to promote dignity, independence, and equal access to services.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all {{org_field_name}} premises, including indoor and outdoor areas, facilities, and equipment used for care delivery. It is relevant to all staff, contractors, and visitors to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities, whether physical, sensory, or cognitive. It includes but is not limited to, wheelchair accessibility, signposting, adaptive equipment, and communication support.

3. Legal and Regulatory Framework

This policy is implemented in accordance with the legal and regulatory requirements applicable to care homes in England.

The Equality Act 2010 prohibits unlawful discrimination arising from disability and places an anticipatory duty on service providers to make reasonable adjustments where a disabled person would otherwise be placed at a substantial disadvantage. {{org_field_name}} will consider and make reasonable adjustments to its premises, facilities, equipment, information, communication arrangements and the way in which services are delivered where these are required to enable disabled people to access and receive the service.

The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 apply to the delivery of regulated care. In particular:

• Regulation 9 – Person-centred care requires care and treatment to be appropriate, meet the person’s needs and reflect their preferences. This includes making reasonable adjustments to enable the person to receive their care or treatment and supporting the person, or a person lawfully acting on their behalf, to participate in decisions about care and treatment.
• Regulation 10 – Dignity and respect requires people to be treated with dignity and respect, including respect for their privacy, autonomy, independence and relevant protected characteristics.
• Regulation 12 – Safe care and treatment requires the service to assess risks to people’s health and safety and to take appropriate action to mitigate those risks, including risks arising from the environment, equipment or a person’s mobility, sensory or communication needs.
• Regulation 15 – Premises and equipment requires all premises and equipment used by the service provider to be clean, secure, suitable for the purpose for which they are being used, properly used, properly maintained and appropriately located. Appropriate standards of hygiene must also be maintained.
• Regulation 17 – Good governance requires effective systems and processes for assessing, monitoring and improving the quality and safety of the service, assessing and mitigating risks, maintaining accurate records, and seeking and acting upon feedback.

Where {{org_field_name}} provides publicly funded adult social care, the service will have regard to the NHS England Accessible Information Standard in accordance with section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. The service will identify, record, flag, share where lawful and necessary, meet and review people’s information and communication needs.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to fire safety arrangements within the care home. Fire safety arrangements and evacuation planning will take account of the needs of people who may require assistance to understand an alarm, respond to an emergency or evacuate safely.

The Building Regulations 2010 and the applicable requirements and statutory guidance contained in Approved Document M – Access to and Use of Buildings will be considered where building work, alterations or other work within their scope is undertaken. Compliance with building regulations does not replace the separate duty under the Equality Act 2010 to consider and make reasonable adjustments.

Relevant requirements of the Care Act 2014 will also be taken into account where they apply to the provision of information, assessment, care and support.

4. Related Policies

This policy is linked to several other policies within {{org_field_name}}, including CH08 – Dignity and Respect Policy, which ensures that all people we support are treated with dignity and respect; CH10 – Visiting and Accompanying in Care Homes Policy, which covers accessibility during visits; CH16 – Health and Safety at Work Policy, which includes safety measures for disabled individuals; CH30 – Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy, ensuring compliance with equality regulations; and CH35 – Duty of Candour Policy, which encourages transparency in addressing accessibility concerns.

5. Policy Statement

{{org_field_name}} ensures that all facilities, services, and environments are accessible to people with disabilities. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to remove barriers to access, ensuring all people we support are treated with dignity and respect, enabling independent living and person-centred care, implementing inclusive design in new developments and refurbishments, and regularly reviewing and updating accessibility measures based on feedback.

6. Accessibility in Premises and Facilities

a. Building Design and Layout

{{org_field_name}} will ensure that the premises are suitable for the purpose for which they are used and that the assessed needs of people using the service are taken into account when premises are designed, maintained, renovated or adapted.

Access arrangements will be assessed with regard to the needs of people living at and visiting the service. Where a disabled person would otherwise experience a substantial disadvantage, reasonable adjustments will be identified and made in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

Reasonable adjustments may include, according to individual need and the physical circumstances of the premises:

• step-free or alternative accessible routes;
• ramps, lifts, handrails or other mobility supports;
• appropriate doorway and circulation arrangements;
• accessible toilet and bathing facilities;
• appropriate lighting, colour contrast and environmental adaptations;
• seating or rest points;
• accessible parking or drop-off arrangements where these are provided;
• signage or wayfinding aids in an appropriate accessible format; and
• other physical or procedural adjustments required to enable safe and equitable access.

Where the physical characteristics of an existing building mean that a particular adjustment cannot reasonably be made, the Registered Manager must ensure that the disadvantage is assessed and that reasonable alternative measures are considered and implemented where required. The assessment, decision, reasons and alternative arrangements must be recorded.

People must be supported to enter, leave and move around the areas of the premises that they need to use as safely and independently as reasonably practicable, taking account of their assessed needs and preferences.

Emergency routes and exits must be maintained so that people can evacuate, or be assisted to evacuate, in accordance with the service’s fire risk assessment and individual emergency evacuation arrangements.

b. Furniture and Equipment

Furniture, equipment and assistive devices used to provide care and support must be suitable for their intended purpose and for the assessed needs of the person using them.

Reasonable adjustments to equipment must be made where required to meet the needs of a disabled person. Appropriate equipment may include, according to assessed individual need:

• adjustable beds, chairs or tables;
• moving and handling equipment;
• mobility aids;
• accessible bathing and toileting equipment;
• adapted call systems;
• hearing or communication equipment; and
• other assistive technology or specialist equipment identified through assessment.

Equipment must be available when it is required to meet an assessed need and must be properly used, securely stored where appropriate, cleaned, serviced and maintained in accordance with applicable legislation, recognised guidance, the manufacturer’s instructions and {{org_field_name}} procedures.

Staff who use specialist or assistive equipment must receive the information, instruction, training and support necessary to use it safely and correctly.

Any defect, failure, shortage or accessibility problem involving premises or equipment that may affect a person’s safety or ability to receive care must be reported promptly, risk assessed and addressed within a timescale proportionate to the level of risk.

c. External Areas

External areas that form part of the premises and are used by people receiving care must be assessed and maintained with regard to accessibility, safety and individual need.

Paths, entrances, gardens and seating areas must be maintained so that identified hazards are controlled. This includes consideration of surfaces, gradients, steps, lighting, handrails, seating, weather-related hazards and other features that could create a risk or substantial disadvantage.

Where a person requires an adjustment in order to use an external area, {{org_field_name}} will consider and implement reasonable adjustments or suitable alternative arrangements in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

7. Disability Inclusion and Support

a. Accessible Information and Communication

{{org_field_name}} will identify and respond to each person’s communication and information needs so that the person can, as far as reasonably practicable, access, understand and participate in information and communication about their care, treatment, rights and the service.

Where the service is within the scope of the NHS England Accessible Information Standard, {{org_field_name}} will operate the following process:

• Ask: identify whether the person has information or communication needs relating to a disability, impairment or sensory loss and establish how those needs should be met.
• Record: record the identified needs clearly and accurately in the appropriate care and information systems.
• Flag: make the identified needs clearly visible to staff who need the information in order to provide care or communicate with the person.
• Share: where lawful, necessary and appropriate, include relevant communication and information needs when information is shared with another health or social care service involved in the person’s care.
• Act: take appropriate steps to meet the person’s identified information and communication needs.
• Review: review the person’s communication and information needs regularly and whenever there is reason to believe that those needs have changed.

Communication support and accessible information must be based upon individual need rather than assumptions about a person’s disability.

Depending upon the person’s assessed needs, reasonable adjustments may include:

• large-print information;
• Braille;
• easy-read information;
• audio information;
• pictures, photographs, symbols or communication boards;
• electronic or screen-reader-compatible information;
• British Sign Language interpretation;
• Makaton or other communication systems used by the person;
• hearing or amplification equipment;
• speech-to-text or other assistive technology;
• support from an interpreter, communication professional, advocate or other appropriate person; or
• additional time, an appropriate environment or a different method of communication.

A particular format or method is not required routinely for every person. The service must provide the format, adjustment or communication support that is reasonably required to meet the identified needs of the individual.

Information about complaints, safeguarding, consent, care planning, medicines, appointments and other significant matters affecting the person must be communicated in a way that the person can understand, with appropriate support where required.

b. Staff Knowledge, Training and Competence

Staff must receive appropriate induction, training, information, supervision and support so that they are competent to recognise and respond to the disability-related needs of the people they support.

The training and competence required will be determined by the staff member’s role and the needs of people using the service and must include, where relevant:

• the duty to make reasonable adjustments;
• recognising and responding to communication and sensory needs;
• use of accessible information and communication methods;
• safe use of accessibility and assistive equipment;
• supporting people with physical disabilities, sensory impairments, learning disabilities, autism or cognitive impairments where relevant to the service;
• maintaining dignity, privacy, independence and choice; and
• emergency support and evacuation responsibilities.

The Registered Manager must ensure that staff competence is monitored and that additional training or support is provided where gaps in knowledge or practice are identified.

c. Personalised Assessment and Support Planning

Each person’s disability-related, accessibility, mobility, sensory, cognitive, environmental, communication and information needs that are relevant to their care must be identified as part of assessment and care planning.

The assessment and care plan must identify, where applicable:

• the person’s mobility and physical access requirements;
• equipment or environmental adaptations required;
• communication and information needs;
• sensory needs;
• assistance required to use facilities or access the community;
• reasonable adjustments required to enable the person to receive care;
• emergency evacuation assistance required;
• relevant risks and the measures required to manage them; and
• the person’s preferences concerning how support should be provided.

The person must be involved in assessment, care planning and review to the maximum extent possible. Where another person is lawfully acting on their behalf, that person must be involved as appropriate and in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Reasonable adjustments and accessibility arrangements identified as necessary must be implemented, communicated to relevant staff and reviewed whenever the person’s needs or circumstances change.

8. Emergency and Evacuation Procedures

The service’s fire risk assessment and emergency arrangements must take account of people who may need assistance to recognise, understand or respond to an emergency or to evacuate safely.

Each person who may require assistance in an emergency must have their evacuation needs individually assessed. Where additional arrangements are required, these must be recorded in an appropriate Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan or equivalent individual evacuation plan.

The individual evacuation assessment and plan must consider, where relevant:

• mobility and transfer requirements;
• ability to use stairs or evacuation equipment;
• sensory impairment and ability to perceive alarms or instructions;
• cognitive impairment, dementia, learning disability or autism;
• communication needs;
• behaviour or distress that may affect evacuation;
• medical equipment or treatment that may affect evacuation;
• the number and competence of staff required to assist;
• evacuation aids or equipment required;
• the person’s usual location within the premises, including at night; and
• any reasonable adjustment required to support safe evacuation.

Emergency alarm and warning arrangements must be suitable for the people who use the service. Where a person cannot reliably perceive or understand the standard alarm, appropriate additional warning, communication or staff support arrangements must be provided according to assessed need.

Individual evacuation arrangements must be accessible to staff who may need to implement them, including temporary, agency and night staff where relevant.

Staff must receive appropriate fire safety and evacuation instruction and training and must understand their responsibilities for assisting people who require additional support.

Individual evacuation arrangements must be reviewed whenever the person’s needs, mobility, room location, equipment or other relevant circumstances change and following any incident, drill or assessment that identifies a need for amendment.

9. Monitoring and Compliance

{{org_field_name}} will maintain effective systems for assessing, monitoring and improving accessibility and disability inclusion and for identifying and mitigating risks arising from the premises, equipment, communication arrangements and service delivery.

Accessibility and environmental checks and audits must be carried out at planned intervals and additionally where:

• a person’s needs change;
• a new accessibility need or barrier is identified;
• significant alterations or refurbishment are proposed;
• new equipment or facilities are introduced;
• an incident, complaint, concern or near miss identifies a possible accessibility issue; or
• relevant legal, regulatory or nationally recognised guidance changes.

Audits and checks must consider compliance with relevant statutory requirements, CQC regulations, reasonable adjustment duties and the assessed needs of people using the service.

Any accessibility or safety shortfall identified must be recorded, risk assessed and acted upon. Action must be proportionate to the level of risk and must not be delayed until the next annual review where earlier action is required to protect a person or prevent substantial disadvantage.

Where immediate correction is not reasonably practicable, interim risk controls or alternative reasonable arrangements must be implemented where required.

{{org_field_name}} must seek and act upon feedback relating to accessibility and disability inclusion from people using the service, those lawfully acting on their behalf, relatives where appropriate, staff and relevant professionals. Feedback must be recorded, reviewed and used to identify necessary improvements.

Records relating to accessibility assessments, reasonable adjustments, environmental risks, equipment, audits, maintenance, individual communication needs, evacuation arrangements, identified deficiencies and improvement actions must be accurate, complete, current and stored securely.

The Registered Manager must maintain oversight of outstanding accessibility and environmental actions and ensure that progress is monitored until the identified issue has been satisfactorily resolved.

The effectiveness of this policy and the service’s accessibility arrangements will be reviewed at least annually and sooner where there is a significant change in legislation, regulatory guidance, the premises, the people using the service or identified risk.

10. Responsibilities

The Registered Manager is responsible for overseeing the implementation and compliance of this policy.

Staff Members must adhere to accessibility guidelines and provide inclusive care.

Facilities Management must ensure that premises remain accessible and well-maintained.

People We Support and Families are encouraged to provide feedback to improve accessibility measures and service delivery.

11. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner if legislative changes or service improvements require amendments. Feedback from staff, people we support, and stakeholders will be incorporated to ensure the ongoing effectiveness of our accessibility measures.

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Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}
Copyright © {{current_year}} – {{org_field_name}}. All rights reserved.