Customer service (Policy)

Effective April 2017

Purpose

Public Health Sudbury & Districts provides programs and services and plans activities and events which promote and protect the health of citizens living in the districts of Sudbury and Manitoulin.

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is committed to excellence in serving all members of the public and in working effectively with partners and community groups, including people with varying abilities.

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is committed to meet the accessibility needs of persons with varying abilities in a timely manner.

For the purpose of this policy the term “worker” refers to employees, volunteers, students, Board of Health members, and in some cases agency partners who deal with the public or third parties on its behalf.

Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ worker responsibilities include:

• Preparing and amending policies, procedures, and practices where necessary upon release of the additional standards or changes in legislation
• Providing copies of these policies to clients upon request
• Providing alternative formats of policies upon request
• Implementing the appropriate training in relation to the AODA customer service standard
• Providing notice for disruptions in service
• Collecting client feedback.

As such, Public Health Sudbury & Districts will make every reasonable effort to ensure that:

• Programs and services will be provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of people with varying abilities.
• People with varying abilities will be given an equitable opportunity to access and benefit from Public Health Sudbury & Districts programs and services and to participate in activities and events.
• Programs and services provided to people with varying abilities and others will be integrated unless an alternate method is necessary to enable a person experiencing barriers to obtain, use, or benefit from the programs and services.

As outlined and defined in the Legislated Requirements and Statement of Commitment policy C-I-140, while planning programs, services, activities, events, and in developing related policies, procedures and practices, all Public Health Sudbury & Districts workers will abide by the following accessibility principles:

1. Dignity
2. Independence
3. Integration
4. Equality of Opportunity

Mandatory customer service training

Managers are responsible for ensuring that any worker who reports to them completes appropriate training as soon as operationally feasible. Additional training may be provided for individuals who work in certain programs or team areas as needed including instruction on how to use equipment and assistive devices available. Individuals will be made aware of any amendments made to policies due to changes in legislation or where a new process or program is developed.

Training for Customer Service Standards must include:

• The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and the requirements of the customer service standards;
• Information on Public Health Sudbury & Districts policies, practices, and procedures and a review of the requirements of the customer service standards;
• How to interact and communicate with people with varying abilities;
• How to interact with people with varying abilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person;
• How to use the equipment or assistive devices (wheelchair, exterior ramp, elevator) currently available on Public Health Sudbury & Districts premises or other ways that may help with the provision of goods or services to people with varying abilities;
• What to do if a person with special needs is having difficulty accessing Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ programs, services, events, and activities.

Refer to policy C-I-140 regarding Legislated Requirements and Statement of Commitment for more information on training and instruction.

Communication with clients (written and electronic)

Public Health Sudbury & Districts workers will communicate with individuals in a manner that takes into account the person’s individual needs.

Plain language

Plain language will be used when developing documents, advertisements, and promotional material targeting the general public.

Website

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), established by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), set out the technical standards required to comply with the AODA. Compliance is based upon specific implementation timelines and levels of conformance. As such, the Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ website (www.phsd.ca) and any other websites that the agency is responsible for are required to comply with the AODA and the WCAG guidelines.

Public Health Sudbury & Districts will continue to ensure that web content on the site meets the AODA guidelines and will also respond to requests for accommodation or suggestions to improve the site.

Documents

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is committed to using inclusive design standards for all print and digital information for both internal and external audiences.

People with varying abilities may request service information, forms, or other documents be provided in an alternate format. Where Public Health Sudbury & Districts is unable to provide the requested format, an explanation will be provided to the individual and Public Health Sudbury & Districts will work with the individual to find a suitable alternative.

Alternate formats to consider may include:

• Large print for people with low vision (including adjustable sized print for electronic materials)
• Braille used by some people who are blind or deaf-blind
• Audio formats such as digital recordings on CD’s
• Videos that may be helpful to people with certain learning disabilities
• Verbally read materials by a staff member to a person with a disability
• Easy-read, simplified summaries of materials for people with developmental or intellectual disabilities.

Telephone services

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is committed to providing fully accessible telephone services to our clients. Workers who are required to communicate with customers over the telephone will be trained to communicate clearly and slowly with customers in plain language.

Where telephone communication is not suitable to an individual’s communication needs, Public Health Sudbury & Districts workers will offer to communicate with customers in writing, by email or Bell relay services.

Conferences and presentations

Upon request and where possible, Public Health Sudbury & Districts will consider real-time captioning services, sign language interpreters or deaf-blind intervenors so that people can participate effectively in conference seminars. These services will be identified on promotional material related to the conference or event.

Reception

Workers will provide  assistance to better serve clients with varying abilities. For example, workers will provide a client with a pen and paper if they would like to write down the reason for their visit to Public Health Sudbury & Districts.

Billing

If invoicing is required, Public Health Sudbury & Districts is committed to providing accessible invoices. For this reason, invoices may be provided in the following formats upon request:

• Hard copy in regular or large print (when possible)
• Email

Public Health Sudbury & Districts staff will answer any questions clients may have about the content of the invoice or records in person, by telephone or email.

Personal assistive devices

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is committed to serving people with varying abilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use, or benefit from our programs, services, events, and activities.

Public Health Sudbury & Districts will work with clients who identify that an assistive device would benefit them when participating in programs, services, events and activities provided by the agency. Where a client requests a device, workers will work with their manager or another designated person to facilitate this request.

Where Public Health Sudbury & Districts has or arranges to provide an assistive device on our premises to better assist clients, the applicable workers will be trained and familiarized with the use of these devices.

A manual wheelchair is available for clients who request them at the 1300 Paris Street and the Elm Place locations.

Service animals

Guide dogs and other service animals are permitted to accompany people with special needs on Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ property and in areas of its buildings that are accessible to the public and other third parties. It is important to remember that service animals are working animals. Public Health Sudbury & Districts workers will not distract or disrupt any service animal by touching, petting or talking to the animal.

When planning events and activities, Public Health Sudbury & Districts workers will make every reasonable effort to choose sites and locations where service animals are not excluded by law.

Support persons

People with special needs may be accompanied by a support person while participating in our programs, services, events, or activities. At no time will these clients be prevented from having access to their support person while on our properties or while attending our events or activities.

Where privacy is a concern, Public Health Sudbury & Districts workers will ask the person with special needs whether they would like their support person present.

Where a client requires assistance with lifting or toileting activities, a support person is required to accompany the client.

Support persons will not be charged admission fees for Public Health Sudbury & Districts events.

Disruption of services

Public Health Sudbury & Districts will provide notice to the public when there is a planned or unexpected disruption of access to its facilities or services that may be used by the public. These facilities, services, or systems include:

• Elevators
• Accessible washrooms and clinic rooms
• Ramps
• Mechanical doors

This notice will include the nature of the disruption, the reason for it, its expected duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

On Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ properties, the notice will be placed in writing at the reception desk, and near the disrupted facility or service location. The notice will be placed at a height that will allow a person using a wheelchair to read it.

Notices of planned and unexpected disruptions will also be posted on Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ website or announced publicly as soon as the disruption and pertinent details are available.

Disruption of service notices must be developed through the Director, Corporate Services, or designate.

Client feedback

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is committed to meeting and surpassing the service expectations of all its clients, including people with varying abilities. Feedback and comments are welcome and appreciated in regards to how well expectations are being met. All feedback will be directed to the Director of Corporate Services, or designate.

Information about the feedback process will be readily available to the public on Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ website and at the reception area of each office location.

Receiving feedback

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is committed to providing quality programs and services to the public. Clients can provide feedback to the agency in two ways. Feedback could include a compliment, suggestion or complaint, all of which are valuable and will help Public Health Sudbury & Districts improve our environment and services.  The following outlines the two ways that clients can provide feedback:

1. Accessibility Client Feedback Form:

• • Obtaining an Accessibility Client Feedback Form and envelope from reception staff at any office locations.
  • Calling Public Health Sudbury & Districts and asking to speak with Divisional Administrative Assistant in Corporate Services. The Divisional Administrative Assistant or designate will complete the Accessibility Client Feedback Form on the client’s behalf.
  • Writing and mailing a letter addressed to the Director of Corporate Services.
  • Downloading the Accessibility Client Feedback Form from the Public Health Sudbury & Districts website and mailing it to Corporate Services, Public Health Sudbury & Districts, 1300 Paris Street, Sudbury, ON P3E 3A3.
  • Filling out and submitting the online Accessibility Client Feedback Form from the Public Health Sudbury & Districts website.
  • Sending an email to accessibility@phsd.ca.

2. Client Satisfaction “How did we do today?” survey:

• • Accessing it on the Public Health Sudbury & Districts website.
  • Requesting a paper copy at any Public Health Sudbury & Districts reception desk.

Refer to GAM policy C-I-120 Client Satisfaction Survey for more information.

Feedback process

All feedback provided via the Accessibility Client Feedback Form will be submitted to the Divisional Administrative Assistant in Corporate Services and provided to the Director of Corporate Services who will determine the appropriate course of action based on the feedback or complaint.

Where requested or appropriate, clients can expect a response within 30 days of the date the feedback was submitted. Information about our process and availability of documents will be readily available to the public on the Public Health Sudbury & Districts website, in person, by telephone, in writing or email. The Divisional Administrative Assistant will provide a summary annually to the Director, Corporate Services of all feedback.

Clients will be provided with the support they need to complete the feedback form.  If assistance is needed, just ask a worker to fill in the form on your behalf.

Any client feedback requiring immediate attention (e.g. breach of confidentiality or infection control) will be reported immediately to the Knowledge and Strategic Services division who will report to the Corporate Services division, the most responsible program director, and the most responsible program manager. Refer to GAM procedure C-I-120 Client Satisfaction Survey for more information.

Notice of availability of documents

This policy will be made publicly available on Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ website.

This policy, as well as other documents pertaining to the provision of goods and services for persons with disabilities, will be available, upon request, in a format that takes into account the person’s disability.

Requests for such documents are to be forwarded to the individual identified or to the Divisional Administrative Assistant, Corporate Services.

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This item was last modified on August 30, 2023