Working together improves access for disabled

For years the Bank Street Medical Centre Te Aroha Noa patients who use wheelchairs have had difficulty getting into see their doctors.  This is because there has been a reserved car park smack bang in front of their accessible ramp.

The Te Aroah Noa Medical Centre situated next to the Town Hall now has a much needed accessible car space and dedicated access to their ramp and entrance with the help of Tiaho Trust and the Whangarei District Council.

Improving access to health services is the aim of the Improving Responsiveness to Disability (IRD) Project. 

Initiated by Tiaho Trust and funded by Manaia Health PHO, the IRD Project aims to provide health care providers with the opportunity to understand the idea that society imposes many of the disabling barriers faced by people with impairments.

Annie Hemsley, Practice Nurse Manager at Te Aroha Noa says “access for wheelchair and scooter users to our premises had always been a nightmare as there was a reserved car park placed directly at the ramps entrance which made it inaccessible when a car was parked there. 

With the efforts of both Tiaho Trust and the Whangarei District Council in conjunction with the medical centre, more provision has now been made for those needing accessible parking and access to the ramp at the medical centre.

Annie says that there were a few other recommendations made by Tiaho which we are in the process of implementing and all in all it has been a thoroughly worthwhile process to have gone through.