"inclusion and innovation- disability & race"

1. When raising my discomfort about racial opinions from a person “Y” in the emergency room who would indirectly make comments about foreigners. They made them with other Caucasian appearing patients. The attitude I seemingly got from the emergency department was one of silence on the issue. I believe silence is distressing and overtime can bottle up and become triggering for people who look like me.  - following sexual violence incident with member of the public.

2. I saw the same “patient” at the department sharing their disgruntled experiences with the public health system. I wish they could have been escorted out or taken to a different area. The same attitude was one of observation and silence. Should this person be in community care or at least admitted as an outpatient ? At least that’s the question I walked out with for the second time. Are you able to sense how I felt here and the attitudes I’m reflecting on?

On this occasion and the previous occasion what was admirable were staff’s capacity to pay attention to each customer and respond efficiently (and the doctor couldn’t attend to me so I just went home).

I appreciate the inclusive culture promoted with strategically placed posters and can see this in a few staff. These are handy visual cues, but in complex environments such as emergency rooms - I believe they can be missed and vulnerable people may not be cognisant to these visual reminders. If we can correct and continue progressing with the architecture and design this would enhance communication to customers without placing the onus on staff with other duties.  - following family and domestic violence incident

3. My prior incident encountering racial and age bias made it difficult to express my discomfort recently when waiting. The wait was not long , but my main case is one from a patient perspective that appreciates more healthier communication. I am trying to maintain my psychological safety by providing feedback. Thank you.