Mind in Enfield and Barnet – Accessibility Review

External

Mind in Enfield and Barnet (MindEB) Enfield is at 275 Fore Street in Edmonton. The building is situated between  bus stops and over ground stations which make it easy to access from public transport. There are also parking spaces available on site with priority to clients with accessibility needs.

Internal

There are no steps to the entrance of MindEB and it has a downstairs confidential client meeting space for counselling sessions and other one to one meeting with clients who cannot manage the stairs.

This area is prioritised for clients who cannot access the upstairs meeting rooms. Other meetings will be moved if necessary.

There are downstairs waiting and toilet facilities. The toilet is not accessible to wheelchair users unless they are able to be supported out of the chair and into the toilet space which is not appropriate. This is communicated before any appointments are undertaken should the client require wheelchair access.

At present the counselling team are aware of this accessibility issue and ensure that prospective clients are asked if they have mobility issues and offered appointments on the ground floor if needed.

Improvements

The building does have good accessibility barring wheelchair access to a toilet. MindEB is undergoing improvement plans due to new management systems and funding applications.

Once secured the funding will ensure upgrading of the building cosmetically and for access.

If finances and planning permits MindEB would upgrade the toilet facilities to ensure they are fully accessible.

As the service will hopefully expand due to new prospective contracts we would then be operating from other premises as well as 275 Fore Street. There could (this would need to be explored) be a possibility of offering wheelchair users’ appointments at other locations if this works with travelling from their home address.

MindEB Management of Accessibility

Each service manager is responsible for ensuring their clients are offered appointments at appropriates times and in appropriate spaces. The manager ensures administration and registration systems are in place to support clients with access and other needs to ensure they can access the services comfortably and meeting their needs.

The Head of Operations and Office Manager ensure that policy and systems are in place to monitor accessibility under health and safety in the workplace. This is reviewed regularly through the Mind Quality Mark. MindEB is affiliated to National Mind who have a quality mark system in place that is of a similar standard to the ISO 9000.