The Princess Grace Hospital of Monaco adopts a charter to better accommodate people with disabilities

"Disability is a source of discrimination in access to care, either due to the lack of accessible buildings or accessible consultations." The words of Dr. Valérie Bernard, head of the physical medicine and rehabilitation department at CHPG, may come as a surprise. Even in a healthcare setting, there is insufficient care for people with disabilities.

She and the working group she led have just published the charter for welcoming and caring for patients with disabilities at the CHPG. "With modesty, a practical spirit and a lot of perseverance, and beyond the symbol, a real, concrete and practical desire to make things happen," she explains.

Towards empowerment

The charter includes seventeen points covering access to care, reception, autonomy, needs assessment, support for caregivers, professional training, and communication. Adaptations, small gestures, and advice are offered to make the transition for people with disabilities more seamless. The entire team at the facility is committed to following the guidelines.

"The first idea was this charter of commitment ," confirms general manager Benoîte Rousseau-de Sevelinges. "Then we came up with reflex cards to guide us."

These fact sheets, available to employees, list the correct actions and attitudes to adopt when faced with various disabilities. This is a way for the CHPG to formalize its commitment to more inclusive patient care.

One of the advances implemented is a telephone number (97.98.82.88) that allows a patient who knows they will need assistance when they come for a consultation to notify them of their arrival and receive the appropriate assistance on the day. This could be a helping hand upon arrival by bus, in the parking lot, or a wheelchair to move around the floors.

"Facilitating accessibility is above all about changing people's view of disability," says Christophe Robino, government advisor and minister for Social Affairs and Health. "It's about no longer seeing people as disabled, but as people like any other who sometimes need assistance but who, in a suitable environment, is able to manage on their own. This empowerment is something we've focused on a lot. I also think that even elderly people who have difficulty getting around will be able to benefit from it. Facilitating access is doing everyone a favor."