Universal Design Policy

“Let’s face it, as designers, we often generate and evaluate ideas based on what we know. We strive to make experiences that solve needs, work well with the human body, and improve lives.

But here’s the problem: If we use our own abilities as a baseline, we make things that are easy for some people to use, but difficult for everyone else.

There are 7.4 billion people in the world. Our ambition is to create health environments that are physically, cognitively, and emotionally appropriate for each of them. It starts with seeing human diversity as a resource for better designs.”
 

Stefano Scalzo
Director, Planning and Development, Victorian Health Building Authority

The purpose of this policy is to build the capacity of the Victorian Health Building Authority by enabling the coherent use of universal design to deliver innovative and equitable solutions in a wide range of health infrastructure.

Our vision is to:

• reinforce social equity in the health environment through the incorporation of universal design principles into all future health infrastructure and program developments in Victoria; and
• to embed universal design policy as a code of practice as opposed to a set of considerations.

The policy applies to all Department of Health employees and health service providers in the management of publicly funded health sector assets. Health service providers comprise corporate bodies established under the following Victorian legislation:

• Secretary to the Department of Health established under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008
• Public entities established under the Health Services Act 1988
• Ambulance Victoria established under the Ambulance Services Act.

The Victorian Health Building Authority, on behalf of the Department of Health, is committed to:

• providing equitable access to health sector infrastructure for Victorian people of all abilities
• exceeding minimum standards to ensure universal design provisions be included and applied to planning schemes and delivery of health infrastructure.
• developing the capabilities of the VHBA workforce through best practice guidance/leadership
• promoting a culture of inclusion by integrating universal design principles into compliance commitments/requirements.
• delivering innovative solutions to anticipate and the needs of all end users through design and implementation of development initiatives.

The seven guiding principles of universal design are:

1. Equitable use
   The building/ process is usable by anyone. It does not disadvantage, stigmatize or privilege any group of users.
    
2. Flexibility in use
   The building accommodates not only a wide range of individual user preferences but also users’ varying functional abilities.
    
3. Simple and intuitive
   How to use the building/process is easy to understand regardless of the user’s experience, knowledge, language skills or concentration level.
    
4. Perceptible information
   The building/process communicates all necessary information effectively to all users regardless of ambient conditions or the users’ varying intellectual or sensory abilities.
    
5. Tolerance for error
   The building/ process minimises hazards and adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions by all users.
    
6. Low physical effort
   Everyone can use the building/process efficiently, comfortably and with minimal fatigue.
    
7. Size and space appropriate for use
   Appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless of user’s body size, posture, or mobility.

• Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
• The Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006
• National Disability Strategy 2010-2020
• Victorian State Disability Plan 2017-2020
• Victorian Disability Act 2006
• Disability Discrimination Act 1992
• Victoria’s 30-year infrastructure strategy 2017-2037
• Statewide design, service and infrastructure plan 2017-2037.

• Designing for Diversity (Department of Health)

This charter is the result of a collaborative effort among a group of Victorian Government professionals with experience and expertise from working theoretically and practically in the field of universal design in all departments.

The charter is an initiative to be seen as part of a Victorian Government strategy to implement and gain a greater awareness and knowledge about universal design in society.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD 2006) defines universal design as "the design of products, environments, programs and services to be usable by all people to the greatest extent possible" (CPRD 2006), combining a human rights perspective and a perspective for sustainable development. This charter refers to the convention in the rationales below.

The Victorian Health Building Authority is based on a shared goal to encourage strong social cohesion. In an increasingly globalised world, both the Victorian Government and the Australian Government face the same challenges; empowerment of the elderly, increased employment, longer participation in work life, quality on health services, and inclusion of neglected structurally discriminated groups.