Ableism in the Health Sector

By Liel Bridgford [1 min read] - The following article was first published on Powerd Media on 27th February 2025:

I was furious when my friend lost her job because of mental health struggles, especially because we worked for an organisation dedicated to mental health support.

A few years later when I was the one who lost their job because of ableism, I was in shock. I thought working as a health professional would provide me with some support, or at least understanding.

Instead, I was bullied and pushed out of a job I was very good at, because of my mental health. Because of ableism.

Ableism, or the discrimination and prejudice against people with disability, is just as prolific in the health sector as it is elsewhere. I wrote about the devastating impacts of health ableism here.

In various workplaces I physically struggled as accessibility is still not prioritised across many healthcare settings, both private and public. One particular government-funded employer refused to provide accessible entry despite my advocacy efforts for an alternative to the staircase.

Such violations of our human rights create unsafe working spaces where disabled people are not able to enter, remain, or advocate for their needs. Many disabled people feel scared of talking about their experience of this for fear of being judged, excluded, or even losing their jobs. Most people who responded to my social media post about this have asked to speak anonymously.

Our healthcare system remains unjust, and ineffective. Disabled people struggle to get the healthcare they need, and in Australia disabled people have lower health outcomes than our non-disabled peers.

In order to dismantle health ableism we must bring more disabled people into this workforce, and ensure they can remain there.

As a disabled psychologist, I work not only to best support people with their suffering, but also to alleviate these through systemic change. I advocate for inclusion and anti-ableism work whenever I can. I shamelessly talk about my own disability experience with colleagues and the broader health sector.

Creating a health system that is equitable requires more of us. More disabled health professionals who can create workplaces we can flourish in, and services that provide equitable, client-centred, holistic care to our communities.

Disabled people deserve as good healthcare as anyone else. And we are best placed to shape the creation of the healthcare system we all want.

Liel Bridgford

Psychologist, Writer, Educator

Kultivate Founder and Director