AV6K成人网

November 27, 2019 | in Community News, News

 

AV6K成人网 staff will be more identifiable by people who are blind or have low vision, thanks to a new accessibility initiative.

AV6K成人网 is providing all paramedics with braille stickers that will adhere to their ID cards. The stickers read 鈥淎mbulance鈥� on one line and 鈥�0鈥� 鈥�0鈥� 鈥�0鈥� (Triple Zero) on the line below.

鈥淎nyone can claim they are a paramedic. But how would a patient who is blind know if someone is an actual paramedic? Having braille on our ID cards acts as an identification marker so you have something to prove it when you say 鈥淚 am a paramedic鈥� to a patient, or even a bystander, who is blind or has low vision,鈥� Kate Taylor, an AV6K成人网 paramedic, said.

AV6K成人网 is the first ambulance service in Australia to introduce braille to staff ID cards, after the idea originated with London Ambulance Service paramedic Dean Buttery when he needed to quickly identify himself to a blind man who needed assistance, but had not called for an ambulance and who was surrounded by strangers on a London street.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 get to choose which patient we go to. We get a call and we go to the person that needs our help. We often need to be able to help in a variety of ways, not just through traditional verbal communication,鈥� Kate said.

鈥淥ne of the biggest things that helps us deliver best patient care is gaining the trust of the patient as soon as possible,鈥� Carl Attwood, an AV6K成人网 paramedic, said.
Chris Edwards, Vision Australia manager government relations and advocacy, applauded AV6K成人网 for adopting the initiative.

鈥淭his is a great example of how organisations can consider the needs of people with a disability and work alongside them to come up with a practical way of addressing them,鈥� Chris said.

鈥淪ituations where you need help from a paramedic are likely to be extremely stressful. The stickers are a simple way to let people who are blind or have low vision know they鈥檙e receiving help from a trusted source and help put them at ease,鈥� he said.

The initiative is part of AV6K成人网鈥檚 commitment to provide accessible and inclusive emergency health care to all AV6K成人网.

Currently, more than 4,500 of the stickers, produced by Vision Australia鈥檚 Print Access team, have been provided to AV6K成人网鈥檚 6,000 paramedics.

鈥淎nything that helps us communicate with patients and streamline patient assessment – whether that be through braille on our ID cards, apps or communication boards – is going to be positive for our patients, us as paramedics and AV6K成人网 as an organisation,鈥� Carl said.

AV6K成人网 worked with Vision Australia and consumers to determine the viability of the stickers and during their development. Along with paramedics, AV6K成人网 corporate staff who engage with consumers and the broader community have also been encouraged to add the stickers to their ID.

This is one example of how AV6K成人网 is making its service more accessible to all AV6K成人网, and coincides with the release of AV6K成人网鈥檚 first Accessibility Action Plan.

The plan, available in various accessible formats, and further information can be found .

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