Mrs Cara Antonelli1
1South Western Sydney Local Health District, Australia, 2University of Sydney, Australia
Biography:
Cara Antonelli is the team leader of the Disability Resource Team at South Western Sydney LHD, where she leads a team focused on providing high-quality healthcare through consultation on disability, NDIS, system navigation, and more. She facilitates stakeholder meetings, develops resources, advocates for patients, and leads strategic projects to improve support for individuals with disabilities. With 14 years of experience as an occupational therapist, Cara has worked across public hospitals, NGOs, and government organisations, working in paediatrics, disability, early intervention, acute settings, and stroke rehabilitation. She is passionate about improving healthcare accessibility for people with complex disability needs.
Abstract:
Equitable healthcare requires addressing barriers individuals with disabilities face in accessing and receiving care. The Reasonable Adjustments project aimed to educate healthcare staff on how simple adjustments can create a more inclusive environment.
The project involved developing visually engaging posters that define reasonable adjustments and demonstrate their practical application for patients with diverse disabilities, including autism, schizophrenia, dementia, hearing impairment, vision impairment, and stroke. These resources were informed by evidence-based strategies and feedback from healthcare staff and patients.
The posters were designed for accessibility and immediate applicability in clinical settings. Feedback from staff indicated that the posters increased awareness and confidence in implementing reasonable adjustments. This has been particularly impactful in enhancing communication, reducing patient distress, and improving care experiences.
By highlighting specific examples of adjustments, the project equips staff with actionable knowledge, contributing to broader organisational goals of inclusion and quality care. The resources have broad applicability and are easily adapted across healthcare settings. They are readily accessible on our organisation’s intranet page for all staff to access and display.
This presentation will detail the development process, lessons learned, and the impact on staff and patient outcomes. The project exemplifies the power of simple, innovative solutions to promote equity/inclusion in healthcare.
Disclosure of Interest Statement
This project was conducted in collaboration with Occupational Therapy students from the University of Sydney (Charlie Strasiotto, Grace Chen and Stephanie Lam). No pharmaceutical grants or financial support were received in the development of this study. The authors declare no further conflicts of interest.