Accessibility Statement

1. Who we are and what we believe

We believe the best treatment and therapy happens when practitioners feel safe, supported, and respected. Rather than traditional, hierarchical team structures, we work alongside one another in a collaborative, non-competitive, non-judgemental way. Practitioners often work in parallel, connected by shared values, mutual respect, and a genuine desire to do meaningful work.

Solestice is an affirming and inclusive space. We actively welcome neurodivergent practitioners, those from the LGBTQIA+ community, and people from other under-represented groups. We recognise that everyone brings different needs, communication styles, and ways of working, and we aim to meet these with curiosity, flexibility, and care.

Above all, Solestice is a place for therapists who value connection over productivity, integrity over profit, and who want to be part of a thoughtful, compassionate community doing work that matters.

These values are not just aspirational — they shape everything we do, including how we make the clinic accessible to patients, clients, and practitioners. This policy sets out our commitments to accessibility and inclusion, and what we will do in practice to live up to them.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

Patients and clients attending the clinic for any treatment or therapy
All self-employed practitioners holding a space-use agreement at Solestice, regardless of their clinical discipline
Any agency workers present at the clinic in an administrative or support capacity
Visitors, carers, and companions accompanying patients or clients to appointments

Solestice operates as a health and wellness collective. All practitioners are self-employed. No aspect of this policy creates, implies, or should be interpreted as creating an employment relationship between any practitioner and Solestice Podiatry and Wellness Ltd.

3. Our legal duties

Under the Equality Act 2010, Solestice Podiatry and Wellness Ltd has a legal duty not to discriminate against, harass, or victimise any person because of a protected characteristic. Those characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

As a service provider, Solestice also has a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled patients and clients, so that they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared with non-disabled people when accessing our services. This duty is anticipatory — we should think ahead and make adjustments before a disabled person encounters a barrier, rather than only responding after a problem arises.

The duty to make reasonable adjustments applies equally to self-employed practitioners who are space-users at Solestice. Practitioners are responsible for making reasonable adjustments within their own clinical practice; the director is responsible for making reasonable adjustments to the shared premises and booking systems.

4. Accessibility for patients and clients

4.1 Physical access to the premises

The director(s) will ensure that the clinic premises are as physically accessible as reasonably practicable for all patients and clients. This includes:

Ensuring the main entrance and all patient-facing areas are kept clear of obstructions at all times
Providing a waiting area with adequate seating, including seating suitable for patients with mobility difficulties
Ensuring clear, legible signage throughout the patient-facing areas of the clinic
Maintaining good lighting in all patient areas, including hallways and entrances
Ensuring accessible toilet facilities are available to patients where this is within the directors’ control as premises manager

Where the physical layout of the premises presents a barrier to access for a specific patient — for example, a patient who uses a wheelchair or has significant mobility difficulties — the director and the relevant practitioner will discuss what reasonable adjustments can be made. This may include arrangements for ground-floor access, adapted appointment scheduling, or, where absolutely necessary and clinically appropriate, discussion of alternative arrangements.

Patients and clients are warmly encouraged to contact us before their first appointment if they have any concerns about physical access, so that we can discuss how best to support them.

4.2 Communication and information

We recognise that patients and clients have different communication needs and preferences. We will:

Provide appointment confirmations, reminders, and clinical correspondence by email, telephone, or post, according to the patient’s preference
Ensure that written information provided to patients — including consent forms, aftercare instructions, and privacy notices — is written in plain, clear English
Provide information in alternative formats (such as larger print) on request
Support patients who communicate differently, including those who are D/deaf or hard of hearing, those who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools, and those for whom English is not a first language, to the best of our ability within available resources
Give patients as much time as they need to understand information and make decisions about their treatment; we will never rush a patient

Patients who use a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter or other communication support are welcome to bring their interpreter or support person to appointments. Where a patient requires interpretation services and these cannot be provided informally, the relevant practitioner will explore what options are available.

4.3 Neurodivergent patients and clients

Solestice is an affirming space for neurodivergent people, including autistic patients, those with ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and other forms of neurodivergence. We understand that clinical environments can sometimes be overwhelming, and we aim to make our space as comfortable and predictable as possible.

Adjustments we can offer or explore include:

Providing a detailed description of what to expect during a first appointment on request, so that patients can prepare
Offering first or last appointments of the day to minimise waiting room time and sensory exposure
Keeping the waiting environment calm and low-stimulation where possible
Allowing patients to wait in a quieter area or remain outside until their practitioner is ready, where the layout of the premises permits
Communicating with patients in their preferred format — written instructions rather than verbal, or shorter appointments with more frequent check-ins
Being flexible about the pace of treatment and the level of explanation provided

Patients who feel that their neurodivergence may affect their experience of treatment are encouraged to let their practitioner know, either in advance or at the appointment. There is no obligation to disclose, and all such information will be handled sensitively and confidentially.

4.4 LGBTQIA+ patients and clients

Solestice is an explicitly affirming space for LGBTQIA+ patients and clients. We are committed to providing care that is free from assumptions, stereotypes, or judgement about gender, sexuality, or identity.

In practice, this means:

All practitioners at Solestice will use a patient’s stated name and preferred pronouns, and will not make assumptions about gender from appearance or documentation
Patients are welcome to update their name and pronouns in Cliniko at any time
Clinical documentation will reflect each patient’s identity accurately and respectfully
Any patient who experiences a negative interaction in connection with their gender, sexuality, or identity is encouraged to raise this with the director(s)

4.5 Patients with mental health needs

We recognise that many people accessing healthcare, including podiatry and wellness services, may be living with mental health conditions. We approach mental health with the same openness and respect as physical health.

Practitioners at Solestice will:

Treat all patients with dignity, patience, and compassion, regardless of their mental health status
Be mindful of the potential for healthcare environments to cause anxiety or distress, and respond with flexibility and care
Not make assumptions about a patient’s capacity or capability based on a mental health diagnosis
Signpost patients to appropriate support where this is within the scope of their role and the patient’s wishes

4.6 Patients from minoritised and under-represented communities

Solestice warmly welcomes patients from all communities, backgrounds, and walks of life. We are committed to providing care that is culturally sensitive and free from discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, belief, or any other protected characteristic.

We acknowledge that people from minoritised communities can sometimes face barriers to healthcare — including mistrust, communication difficulties, cultural differences, and past negative experiences. We take this seriously and will make every reasonable effort to ensure that our space, our communications, and our clinical approach are welcoming to everyone.

4.7 Carers and companions

Patients are welcome to bring a carer, family member, or trusted companion to their appointment. Where a patient’s carer or companion plays an important role in supporting their communication or decision-making, their presence in the treatment room can be discussed with the practitioner in advance. The patient’s wishes about who is present during treatment will always be respected.

4.8 Making a request for an adjustment

Any patient or client who requires an adjustment to how we deliver our services is warmly encouraged to contact us. There is no need to disclose a diagnosis or detailed personal information — we simply ask that you tell us what you need and we will do our best to accommodate it.

Requests for adjustments can be made by:

Email: solesticepodiatry@gmail.com
Telephone: [clinic telephone number]
In person: speak to any member of the team at the clinic

5. Accessibility for practitioners

5.1 Our commitment to practitioners

The same values of inclusion, respect, and flexibility that shape how we welcome patients also shape how we welcome practitioners into the collective. We actively encourage practitioners from under-represented groups — including neurodivergent practitioners, LGBTQIA+ practitioners, disabled practitioners, and those from minoritised communities — to join the Solestice collective.

We recognise that being a self-employed practitioner can involve unique pressures, particularly for those who have historically been marginalised in healthcare settings. Solestice is intentionally designed to be a different kind of space — one where practitioners can self-advocate, ask for support, and practise in a way that honours their own wellbeing as well as their patients’.

5.2 Reasonable adjustments for practitioners

The director will consider reasonable adjustments to the shared premises, scheduling, and working arrangements to support practitioners with disabilities or access needs. Practitioners are encouraged to share any access requirements with the director when they join the collective, or at any point during their space-use arrangement.

Examples of adjustments the collective can explore include:

Flexible scheduling to accommodate a practitioner’s health needs or energy management
Adjustments to the physical environment of the treatment room (such as lighting, seating, or equipment positioning)
Alternative communication formats for collective communications and policy documents
Adjustments to how collective meetings or check-ins are conducted

There is no obligation for any practitioner to disclose a diagnosis or condition. The director(s) will approach all requests for adjustment with curiosity, openness, and a genuine desire to find workable solutions.

5.3 Neurodivergent practitioners

Solestice is an explicitly neurodivergent-affirming collective. We recognise that neurodivergent practitioners may have different needs around communication, scheduling, sensory environment, and clinical administration, and we aim to accommodate these wherever possible.

Neurodivergent practitioners are welcome to discuss their needs with the director(s) at any point. No practitioner will be judged, disadvantaged, or treated differently as a result of disclosing neurodivergence.

5.4 LGBTQIA+ practitioners

Solestice is an affirming space for LGBTQIA+ practitioners. Practitioners are welcome to be fully themselves at Solestice — in how they present, how they communicate, and how they describe their practice. The collective will use each practitioner’s stated name and pronouns at all times. No practitioner will face any disadvantage, pressure, or discomfort in connection with their gender, sexuality, or identity at Solestice.

5.5 Practitioner wellbeing

We are especially proud to provide a space where practitioners feel safe to practise in a way that honours their own wellbeing. This means:

No pressure to overbook, over-deliver, or compromise clinical standards for commercial reasons
Freedom to set boundaries with patients in a way that reflects each practitioner’s own needs and values
Space for reflection, growth, and peer connection within the collective, without judgement
Recognition that a practitioner’s accessibility needs may change over time, and a commitment to responding to those changes with flexibility and care

6. Agency workers

On occasion, Solestice may engage agency workers for short-term administrative or support purposes. Agency workers are supplied through an external agency and are not practitioners of the collective. However, while on the Solestice premises they are expected to uphold the same values of inclusion, respect, and non-discrimination that apply to all space-users.

The director(s) will ensure that any agency providing workers to Solestice is made aware of Solestice’s accessibility and equality commitments, and that agency workers are briefed on these expectations on arrival.

7. Physical premises: access audit

The director(s) will undertake a basic access audit of the Solestice premises at least once a year, or following any change to the physical layout of the building. The audit will identify:

Any barriers to physical access for disabled patients, clients, or practitioners
Any areas where signage, lighting, or environmental factors could be improved
Any reasonable adjustments to the physical environment that could be made within available resources

The results of the access audit will be recorded, and any identified actions will be addressed within a reasonable timeframe. Where barriers exist that cannot be removed immediately — for example, because they involve structural changes beyond the directors’ control as a leaseholder — the director(s) will identify alternative interim arrangements and will document why the barrier cannot currently be removed.

8. Feedback and complaints

Solestice genuinely wants to hear from patients, clients, and practitioners if there is something about our accessibility or inclusivity that has not met expectations. Feedback — both positive and constructive — helps us improve.

Feedback and complaints about accessibility can be raised:

By email: solesticepodiatry@gmail.com
By telephone: [clinic telephone number]
In person: with any member of the team or with the director(s) directly

All feedback will be acknowledged promptly and taken seriously. Where a complaint relates to a failure to make a reasonable adjustment, or to discriminatory treatment, it will be handled through Solestice’s grievance process and investigated fairly and promptly. Individuals also have the right to raise concerns with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) or, where applicable, with a professional regulatory body.

9. Review

This policy will be reviewed at least annually by the director, or sooner following any change in equality legislation, regulatory guidance, or material change to the clinic’s premises or collective membership. Feedback from patients, clients, and practitioners will be taken into account as part of each review.