Building Reasonable adjustments, Inclusion, and Dignity in Emergency care for people with Disability (BRIDGE-ED)

Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) Program aims to improve equitable, and safe access to healthcare for people with disability. DLOs act as a dedicated contact for people with disabilities, working alongside clinical teams to remove barriers, support effective communication, and ensure individuals feel informed, empowered, and included throughout their healthcare journey. Grounded in the principle that people with disabilities are experts in their own lives, the DLO role strengthens- not replaces- clinical care by promoting disability-informed, person-centred practice across hospitals and primary care. DLO's have qualifications in nursing or allied health and have a working knowledge of the public health system. DLOs will be available Monday-Friday during business hours, excluding public holidays. ED clinicians will be able to make referrals to the DLO when they identify a patient with a disability. The DLO's will also be notified of patient's arrival to ED if they have a 'disability alert' on their electronic medical record. DLO's will help to support timely access to care for people with disabilities. This may include coordinating and facilitating necessary adjustments to the delivery of healthcare, support and advocate for a person's right to accessible communication, facilitate clear and effective communication between the person with disability and healthcare providers, support active involvement in healthcare by addressing barriers, build confidence and capacity in service users and workforce through education and professional development. DLO service is primarily delivered face-to-face. BRIDGE-ED is interested in DLO involvement during the ED visit. Data will only be collected and analysed in related to the patient's emergency presentation. However, it is known that some healthcare services have DLO's available during inpatient admissions.