Accessibility Standards for Customer Service

General Purpose

This Accessibility Standards for Customer Service policy governs CPhA’s provision of goods and services to members of the public or other third parties in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service.  This policy details CPhA’s commitment to using reasonable efforts to ensure that it provides accessible customer service to people with various kinds of disabilities.

Core Principles

CPhA will use reasonable efforts to ensure that the provision of its goods and services are consistent with the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity by:

• Providing goods and services in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.
• Providing goods and services so that persons with disabilities are able to fully benefit from the same services, and in the same or similar way as persons without disabilities, unless an alternative measure is necessary to enable a person with a disability to obtain, use, or benefit from CPhA’s goods and services.
• Giving people with disabilities the same opportunity equal to that of persons without disabilities to obtain, use, or benefit from CPhA’s goods and services.

Use of Assistive Devices

CPhA permits persons with disabilities to use their personal assistive devices while on CPhA’s premises to obtain, use, or benefit from CPhA’s goods and services. Staff will be trained so they are familiar with the assistive devices at CPhA.

Communication

When communicating with a person with a disability, CPhA will do so in a manner that takes into account the person’s disability.

Service Animals

CPhA welcomes people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises that are open to the public.

If it is not readily apparent that the animal is a service animal, CPhA may ask the person with a disability for a letter from a physician confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to his or her disability. 

It is the responsibility of the person with a disability to ensure that his or her service animal is kept in control at all times.

Support Persons

Persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises.  

CPhA may require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person while on CPhA premises in situations where it is deemed necessary to protect the health and safety of the person with a disability and/or others.

When support persons are required for CPhA sponsored meetings or events, the person with a disability will be required to provide his or her own support person.  If there are fees associated with the meeting or event, the support person will be charged the regular fee.  Advance notice of said fees will be provided if such circumstances exist.

Notice of Temporary Disruptions

CPhA will make reasonable efforts to provide prompt notice to persons with disabilities in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services usually used by people with disabilities.  The clearly posted notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

The notice will be posted on CPhA’s website (www.pharmacists.ca) or in a pertinent location on the premises, or another method that is reasonable given the circumstances.

Training

CPhA will provide training to all employees, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on behalf of CPhA.  Training will also be provided to all those who are involved in the development of CPhA’s policies, plans, practices and procedures concerning the provision of goods and services to the public or other third parties.

The training will include the following topics:

1. A review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard;
2. Instructions on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities;
3. Instructions on how to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person;
4. Information about the equipment or devices available on CPhA’s premises that may help with the provision of goods and services to persons with disabilities;
5. What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing CPhA’s goods and services;
6. A review of CPhA’s policies, practices and procedures relating to the provision of goods and services to persons with disabilities.

New staff, and staff who take on new duties as outlined above, will be trained as soon as it is reasonable after starting the job or duties.  All applicable staff will receive initial training and additional training when there are any changes to the policies, practices or procedures that relate to the provision of goods or services for people with disabilities.

CPhA will keep records of the training, including the dates of when training was provided and the names and number of individuals to whom it was provided.

Feedback Process

Feedback from members of the public regarding the way CPhA provides goods and services to people with disabilities can be made by telephone (613-523-7877), via email (service@pharmacists.ca), in person or in writing (1785 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa, ON  K1G 3Y6). All feedback received will be directed to Patrick Tessier, Manager, Customer Service.

All feedback and complaints will be reviewed for possible action that can be taken to improve CPhA services. In most cases, a response to the feedback will be provided within 30 working days.  

Notice of Availability of Documents

All documents required by the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service are available upon request by telephone (613-523-7877), via email (service@pharmacists.ca), in person or in writing (1785 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa, ON  K1G 3Y6). CPhA’s Accessibility Standards for Customer Service will be posted on CPhA’s website (www.pharmacists.ca).

Modifications to This or Other Policies

Any policy of CPhA that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

Format of Documents

If CPhA is required to give a copy of any document available under the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service to a person with a disability, CPhA will provide the document, or the information contained within the document, in a format that takes into account the person’s disability. Requests can be made by telephone (613-523-7877), via email (service@pharmacists.ca), in person or in writing (1785 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa, ON  K1G 3Y6). Alternatively, CPhA and the person with a disability may agree on an alternate format for the document or information.

CPhA Accomplishments to Date

Consistent with CPhA’s objective of treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence while creating an inclusive work-environment for CPhA’s people to develop to their full potential; we have taken various steps to foster an accessible organization and workplace.

AODA Customer Service Standard Requirements: Complete

• Creation and posting of CPhA’s Standard for Accessible Customer Service.
• Customer Services Training – Mandatory training was completed by all CPhA Customer Service staff and policy decision makers. Customer Service Training is also part of mandatory on boarding for all new Customer Service employees.
• Customer Service – Feedback Mechanism posted on CPhA website.

AODA Individual Emergency Evacuation Procedures: Complete

• All existing and new employees in Ontario who require an individual workplace emergency response plan can request an individual plan that takes into account their disability