In this blog, Jacob Matthew shares his experience accessing emergency care during the COVID-19 lockdown, showing how clear and respectful communication can make a stressful situation more positive and empowering. His story highlights the importance of communication access for people with disabilities in healthcare settings.
Jacob now advocates through Scope Australia’s “Best Care for People with Communication Disabilities” project, which provides emergency workers with training and practical tools — like communication books, keyword sign posters, and Easy Read materials — to improve care for people with communication access needs.
He hopes all emergency healthcare workers across Australia will receive this training, because, as he reminds us, communication is a basic human right.
