QUICK GUIDE
Ensuring safe, inclusive and accessible environments for people living with obesity
Equipment
Providing appropriate equipment for people of varying shapes and sizes can help patients feel safe in accessing healthcare and more comfortable returning for checkups, screening, and illness or injuries.
The following considerations can help provide a more inclusive experience for people living in larger bodies. Although some of the following will require action from certain staff such a managers and procurement teams, it is valuable for everyone to understand and consider how our environments can impact a patient’s wellbeing and care.
| Questions to consider for waiting rooms and clinical environments | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Does the environment support people living in a larger body? | ||
| Are posters and other communications inclusive with a range of people of various sizes and shapes? | ||
| Are there at least two bariatric chairs with additional width and weight capacity in the waiting room? Chairs with armrests are preferred as they aid sitting and standing. | ||
| Are bariatric examination chairs or beds available in each clinic room? With safe, stable steps, as required? | ||
| Do you have high-capacity scales (150 kg+) located in a private space so patients can be weighed discreetly? | ||
| Is the space for weighing patients in a private location? (e.g. not in reception or the hallway.) | ||
| Are larger blood pressure cuffs and measuring tapes available in each consultation room? Do clinical staff use these in a subtle and sensitive way? | ||
| Are bariatric gowns available and easily accessible by staff and patients? | ||
| Are there wheelchairs and walkers available if needed? |
Consultation experience
The way we communicate with and respond to the needs of people living in larger bodies can have a significant effect on patient experience and willingness to return for care. When communicating with and about patients living in larger bodies, it is crucial that administrative and clinical staff use respectful language. It is also important patients are not labelled, blamed or made to feel guilty for their needs that enable access to safe care, even when their needs may be greater or require additional staff assistance.
Handling needs can have a big effect on a patient’s experience and willingness to return for care.
| Questions to consider for clinical and administration teams | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Is person-first language used where appropriate, for example, ‘person living with obesity’ or ‘people living in a larger body’? | ||
| Have you considered the terminology used and/or asked the patient or client about their preferred terminology or approach towards sensitive discussions? | ||
| Have all clinical and administration staff completed training about weight stigma, for example, the course Understand the Science and Reality of Obesity for Better Patient Care ? | ||
| Have all clinical and administration staff considered whether they have internalised weight bias by completing the Weight Implicit Association Test (select Weight IAT), and if this impacts patient care? | ||
| Have all clinical and administration staff been provided with training on potential challenges and anxieties that patients in larger bodies may have? | ||
| Do all clinical and administration staff understand the importance of maintaining sensitivity when discussing weight? | ||
| Have you considered how the patient might feel when they read the appointment reason, consultation and referral notes? | ||
| Is permission sought before measuring or assessing weight? Is weight taken respectfully? | ||
| Do you understand the safe manual handling standards and requirements? Has your team planned for these requirements? | ||
| For patients with mobility challenges, are telehealth consultations an option? | ||
| Is person-centred care provided to support the patient’s health regardless of weight? |
Facility
Although some of the following will require action from certain organisational staff such as managers and procurement teams, it is valuable for everyone to understand and consider how our clinical environments can impact patient’s wellbeing and care.
| Questions to consider for facilities | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Is the waiting room easy to access and walk through for someone living in a larger body? | ||
| Are the doors and doorways wheelchair accessible? | ||
| Is lift access available if needed? | ||
| Is there a toilet stall which has accessibility aids suitable for patients in larger bodies, including reinforced grab rails, wall-mounted toilets, and wider stalls? | ||
| Is the waiting room wheelchair accessible? | ||
| Are the clinic rooms wheelchair accessible? | ||
| Is parking located close enough to the facility to support safe and accessible entry? |
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