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13.4 Safe and accessible site

13.4 Safe and accessible site

The practice site is required to be safe and accessible for team members and patients. It is the business owner’s responsibility to ensure all legislative requirements and patients’ rights are complied with.

Standard - what we'll be assessing on Evidence to provide for assessment

The practice is safe and accessible for patients and their whanau.
  • Provide external signage that is clear, visible, well placed, and readable from a distance.
  • Ensure adequate space, seating, heating, lighting and ventilation.
  • Provide appropriate seating for patients with mobility and/or other needs. 
  • Ensure there are accessible entrances and doorways.
  • Provide examination couches that are accessible and safe.
  • Provide an accessible toilet. 

Practices are required to be safe and accessible

The practice site is required to be safe and accessible for team members and patients. It is the business owner’s responsibility to ensure all legislative requirements and patients’ rights are complied with.

Compliance with legislative requirements includes meeting Building Code requirements and the Fire and Emergency NZ (Fire Safety Evacuation Procedures and Evacuation Schemes) Regulations 2018.

General practices are required to provide accessible toilets onsite. If practices do not host an accessible toilet, it is the College’s expectation that they will have explored/are exploring the possibility of installing one. In the rare circumstance where this may be problematic, practices can submit an exemption form to the College which will be considered on a case by case scenario.

If a short term exemption is required, for example, a practice is in a temporary site, practices should include the following information on the exemption form; their circumstances, measures taken to mitigate the lack of an accessible toilet and plans are for installing one.

Practices are particularly encouraged to ensure they are compliant with Building Code access requirements and have, as far as is practical, provided mobility parks.

Ventilation 

Good ventilation is not the only measure to reduce the risk of airborne particles being transmitted through ventilation systems, but is part of a comprehensive package of protective measures, such as physical distancing, mask wearing, and frequent hand washing.

The College recommends these simple steps to help to increase ventilation in the practice and mitigate the risk of disease transmission and contamination.

Links to resources