More than 4 million Australians have some form of disability – that represents approximately one in five people.
Disability shouldn’t be a barrier to seeking advice, services and care, or establishing a meaningful career. That’s why we’ve launched Medibank’s first Accessibility & Inclusion Plan.
This plan commits us to making available accessibility features in all of our retail stores, ensuring any store refits consider dignified access for people with disability. We’re enhancing disability access to our website and mobile apps. Our call centre employees will be provided with better guidance to assist customers with communication difficulties. Future Medibank marketing imagery will be representative of people with disability.
Our new plan was formed by listening to our customers, employees, those with disabilities and those caring for someone with a disability. We pulled together a working group from across every part of our business - reviewing how we provide products, services and employment opportunities for people with disability.
To get here, we’ve had support from Get Skilled Access co-founder, Dylan Alcott.
Dylan is an extraordinary athlete, Paralympic gold medalist and world champion. His sheer talent, business acumen and enthusiasm has ensured he now commands an international platform in advocating for people with disability.
In helping Medibank create a disability aware culture, I took part in an immersion session with Dylan and his Get Skilled Access colleagues. I was told not to prepare and it was a confronting insight into a way of life faced by so many Australians.
Attending the recent Sydney Invictus Games also highlighted to me why our accessibility plan is not only necessary, it’s the right thing to do. I found the Games inspiring and emotional, both for me as a spectator and for the athletes who have discovered new purpose in their life, often from quite a dark place.
Currently, only 6.4% of Medibank’s employees identify as having a disability. Our new plan will ensure employees are afforded the chance to pursue fulfilling employment while being supported with the opportunities to succeed. We’re committed to increasing the representation of people with disability, including partnering with disability organisations, helping to build a pipeline of talent.
Our Accessibility & Inclusion Plan follows on from February’s launch of the Reconciliation Action Plan, outlining Medibank’s long term commitment to address the Indigenous healthcare gap, with an ambition to support meaningful reconciliation) through community investments in education, wellbeing and employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians.
We all have a role to play in challenging biases and doing what’s right – whether that’s around disability or disadvantage.
