“Nothing about us, without us” has been the guiding principle behind the development of our Disability Strategy and Action Plan 2023-27.
And, when we launched the plan, we ensured it was going to be no different.
The dedicated online launch event gave a platform to the voices of people with lived experience of disability who generously shared how the new roadmap would improve their outcomes as patients, carers and employees at our health service.
Director of Clinical Operations – Community Operations Support, Michelle Sliwinski, was one of three panellists who bravely shared their own experiences of disability discrimination at work and hope for the future.
“I want Monash Health to be a place where you can put your disability on your resume and it’s viewed as an asset,” she said.
“I can multi-task, I’m very efficient and fast and that’s partly due to my anxiety and panic attacks, so it’s an asset at work.”
The panel also included the experience of Manager, NDIS Interface Mental Health Program, Susan Brunton, who is parent of two adult children, a daughter with Cerebral Palsy and an autistic son with mental health challenges.
Pioneered by Disability Initiative Lead Kellie Hammerstein and Consumer Advisor, Sue Viney, Co-Chairs of the Disability Consumer Advisory Group, the pair broke down the pillars that will underpin the new Disability Strategy and Action Plan and the work taken to bring it into reality.
“People with a disability are experts in what they need to lead a better quality of life, and it’s fundamental to understand what’s important to them,” Kellie said.
The plan was created utilising 330 pieces of feedback and was developed in close consultation with our Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee and Disability Consumer Advisory Group.
Through this process, four pillars were identified that would drive all outcomes of the plan.
“We want to build a disability confident workforce where our employees feel confident to ask someone with a disability what kind of help they need, and where people with disability themselves feel confident to say what they need and confident we can meet those needs,” Sue said.
The launch event also featured special guest Chris Varney, a proud autistic man who is Chair of the Victorian Disability Advisory Council and founder of the autistic led I CAN Network.
“My connection with Monash Health goes right back – my dad spent his whole career as a midwife at Monash Medical Centre and my wife and I had our baby at Monash Health,” he said.
“We had a great experience with the Monash team throughout the birth, but I recognise for a lot of people with disability, they can be in a place of vulnerability when interacting with health services and hospitals.”
Interim Chief Executive Martin Keogh, who emceed the event, said the plan had been two years in the making and thanked all those involved who helped provide their valuable feedback to ensure we are providing the best outcomes for people with disability.
“We are continuing to take steps to ensure Monash Health is breaking down barriers to healthcare access for people with disability and improving employment opportunities,” he said.
To support our goal of providing accessible and inclusive events, the launch also featured two Auslan interpreters and closed captioning.
To watch the event, head here, and to read the plan (including accessible Easy Read and Auslan versions), head here.
Approved by Interim Chief Executive, Martin Keogh