Accessible? I think not!

Just a quick one on the subject of accessibility.

I had booked a session with an acupuncture therapist this week. My husband took me and the first thing we encountered was a heavy door that opened outwards. That would be difficult to open by myself. There was a sticker stating it was an accessible building. When we finished struggling with the door into the premises we started to look for the lift to go to the Acupunture clinic. Again there were several accessible stickers around so we assumed it was accessible.

Not seeing a way to get to the 1st floor, there was a button with an Accessible sign next to it. We rang it and a lady came out, thinking she could help us. We asked her where the lift was for the 1st floor. She replied that there wasn’t a lift which really surprised us. We then rang the Acupuncturist and told him we had an appointment. We asked how we got upstairs. He asked if we couldn’t find the stairs. We responded that we found the stairs but I was unable to get up them. He said it was short notice but he might be able to use an office downstairs. I told him that wasn’t suitable. I then told him that when people rang him for an appointment it would be wise to tell the caller that he was upstairs with no lift. He said something non committal and didn’t seem to see the problem.

Surely in this day and age, a business which provides a health service to people should have to be assessed and ensure that they provide equitable access for people with a disability. If not deemed fully accessible, they should – I feel have pay a fine or something and make their business truly accessible.

This week we have also cancelled our trip to Queenstown due to accessibility issues. We were going to go to Walter Peak station on the Earnslaw. However, several sources have advised that access would be extremely difficult to get to the house for the bbq lunch as it was gravel and difficult to get a wheelchair up to the house. After some thought we decided to cancel our trip for now. We are annoyed that a big business like the one that runs the station would ensure that if they are advertising themselves as accessible, they should surely be accessible for all. It would take is making a concrete path up to the house. It’s not like they don’t have the money to do it. They advertise this trip with the boat and meal at the station as accessible, they should face some sort of fine for being both misleading and also disadvantaging those with the need to use a wheelchair. They certainly are advertising falsely when they say that their bbq and boat ride is accessible.

Those with disabilities whether they are permanent or temporary face enough challenges without facing access issues when they have been misled by a provider.

Having my current disability has opened my eyes to the challenges faced every day by people who have a permanent disability.

Those who mislead the public about the accessibility of their business, should face a fine and a month living as a disabled person in the community and be educated by the experience just what it is like to have a disability.

Merely putting a sticker on a building doesn’t make it accessible and there should be some redress if they mislead the public by doing so when it is not accessible.

Disability should be supported by real access not by signs which give a false impression of ability to access.