Policy Statement
SuperStar Communicator recognises its responsibilities and legal obligations in ensuring, as far as is reasonably possible, that people with disabilities are afforded equal opportunities with respect to employment and to receiving a dental service, and are not discriminated against for a reason relating to their disability.
To this end, as a training, coaching and consultancy business, SuperStar Communicator will take reasonable steps to:
- develop procedures and practices that enable those with disabilities to make use of SuperStar Communicator’s content
- request venues to provide auxiliary aids or services that will assist disabled people to engage with the training/coaching/events;
- provide the service by an alternative method where physical barriers make it impossible or difficult for disabled people to engage with the content.
As an employer to an assistant, SuperStar Communicator will take reasonable steps to ensure:
- recruitment processes and terms of employment do not discriminate for reasons related to disability;
- opportunities offered for promotion, transfer, training or other benefits are the same for all employees;
- a disabled person is not put at a disadvantage because of their disability (e.g. provide specialist equipment, reorganise the working environment).
Responsibilities
SuperStar Communicator is expected, and encouraged, to show consideration towards disabled colleagues and clients, and to help implement this policy and related procedures. Discrimination on the grounds of disability will not be tolerated by SuperStar Communicator
If any associate has any queries about this policy, please contact SuperStar Communicatort.
Procedures
Service to Clients
The accessibility of the venue for any speech will be reviewed for each event and reasonable steps to improve accessibility will be taken. When identifying reasonable steps, the following will be considered:
- whether taking particular steps would be effective in overcoming the difficulty that disabled people face in gaining access to attending a speech, event or workshop whether this is face to face, hybrid or virtual;
- the extent to which it is practicable for the client to take the steps;
- the extent of our financial and other resources;
- Clients are asked to inform SuperStar Communicator of any specific requirements of individuals with 7 days notice
- Clients are asked about special requirements in the pre-training/planning meeting, and there is an opportunity for SuperStar Communicator to be alerted to any specific requirements
- We ask clients to give SuperStar Communicator permission to ask every attendee to complete a confidential pre-training survey. This includes a question about any specific needs of any attendee and they are invited to have a pre-training call with Susan Heaton-Wright to establish the best ways to support their learning so they are fully included in all activities
Auxiliary aids that facilitate access to disabled members of the audience include:
- external and internal ramps;
- induction loop;
- large-print information or other alternative formats, on request: please give 7 days notice of these requirements.
- Virtual workshops have subtitles at the bottom of the screen
- Virtual workshops are recorded and available to attendees
- The virtual workshops are available in transcript format.
SuperStar Communicator will not discriminate on the basis of disability and will not treat a member of the audience, client or colleague less favourably for reasons of disability.
SuperStar Communicator is encouraged to:
- be aware that disabilities take a variety of forms and are not always visible;
- face patients directly and avoid covering their mouth when speaking to others (to facilitate lip-reading by others); and if facemarks are required, uses a clear face mask so individuals can lip read
- ensure the lighting does not put them in shade when speaking to others;
- ask the event organiser before the event, if there are members of the audience who require other forms of communication before the speech to ensure members of the audience who have communication difficulties are able to engage with the content (e.g. writing notes of the speech for those who have hearing difficulties);
- familiarise themselves with the venue’s emergency evacuation procedures and how disabled members of the audience are helped from the premises;
- treat all members of the audience with dignity and respect and bear in mind that disabled patients have a right to good service, just like anyone else.
Responsibilities to Employees
Recruitment of an assistant
All person specifications, job descriptions and advertisements will clearly outline the genuine essential requirements of the post.
- All applicants will be assessed on their individual merits.
- Reasonable adjustments will be made in the recruitment and selection process, as required.
- The discussion of support requirements to enable an applicant with a disability to fulfil the duties of the post will take place after those involved in recruitment have taken the decision to appoint the applicant. The offer of employment to the applicant may be conditional on the nature of the disability and the reasonableness of any adjustments that may be required to be made.