Accessibility
Halton Healthcare strives to deliver exemplary patient experiences to everyone, including patients with disabilities. Guided by the spirit and the letter of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, we provide our patients with a range of support, including making written information and other forms of communication accessible, upon request.
Our policies related to accessibility are located here and are available in an accessible format upon request.
Sometimes situations may occur that require us to suspend some services for patients with disabilities. If this happens, we will post a 'Notice of Service Disruption' to let you know what services have been suspended, for how long as well as what alternatives are available.
Accessible Parking
We provide clearly marked accessible parking at all of our hospitals. You will need to display an accessible parking permit on your vehicle.
BlindSquare is Available at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital
In partnership with CNIB, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Halton Healthcare has launched a new innovative wayfinding system called BlindSquare at its Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. This new technology creates a more accessible experience by ensuring that individuals with sight loss can navigate the hospital safely and independently.
Interpretation Services & Hearing Assistance Devices
There are several options available for patients who are hearing impaired or who do not understand English.
American Sign Language (ASL)
We are pleased to be able to provide remote video ASL interpretation through Language Line for our patients and families. For situations that can be scheduled in advance and require an in-person interpreter, we work with the Canadian Hearing Society to arrange for a professional ASL. Patients may also arrange an interpreter before an appointment. This interpreter can be present at all clinical discussions to help you. Family members and others familiar with ASL may also interpret for you if you agree.
Contact the Canadian Hearing Services
Hearing Assistance Devices
Halton Healthcare provides several types of assistive devices to help hearing-impaired patients. These include sound amplification units (like Pocket Talkers), amplified telephones as well as close-captioned television. Please contact staff for help accessing any of these devices.
Telephone translation
We offer free certified medical translation by phone in more than 170 languages for those with limited or no English language understanding. This service is always available, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Please ask staff to help you access this service.
HMC Connections
We work with HMC Connections to provide interpreters for more than 130 languages. You can directly arrange an interpreter during and outside of business hours or request staff assistance to do so.
Contact the HMC Connections
Service Animals
Service animals, such as guide dogs, help people with disabilities accomplish tasks in their daily life, including accessing healthcare. Such animals are welcome at Halton Healthcare. If you are an inpatient:
- Your healthcare provider and the Pre-Admission Unit will work with you to accommodate your service animal during your stay
- Your service animal will stay with you at all times, except when infection control or safety issues require separation
- Please make arrangements with a support person if you are unable to care for your service animal during your hospital admission. In this case we welcome your support person to bring the service animal in to visit you.
If you are visiting the Emergency Department:
- Your service animal will stay with you if you are conscious and able to manage the animal, unless there are infection control or safety concerns or if you give consent for the animal to leave.
- A staff member may temporarily assume responsibility for your service animal if you are not able to do so and if you don't have a support person with you. Staff will also contact your family and ask them to come and take responsibility for the service animal
If you are visiting an outpatient clinic:
- Your service animal is welcome to accompany you
- You may be separated from your service animal for a time because of infection control needs.
- Please, therefore, bring a support person with you to your clinic visit to take charge of your service animal.
Owner responsibilities:
- Your service animal should be clearly identified as such, for example by a harness or special vest
- You are responsible for your service animal's behaviour, supervision and wellbeing
- You may be asked to provide your service animal's immunization and training records
Wheelchairs
You can find wheelchairs at the main entrances and in the Emergency Departments of all of our hospitals. In addition, Staxi chairs are available at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital and Milton District Hospital. These are free to use. Please take care getting in and out of a wheelchair or Staxi chair; ask a staff member or volunteer if you need help. Please do not take a wheelchair or Staxi Chair off of hospital property.
Transit
Transit services for people with disabilities are available in all of the communities we serve. Please check with your local public transit or taxi service to find out what options are available to you. Please also advise them if you are travelling with a service animal.
Burlington Transit
Halton Hills
Milton Transit
Oakville Transit