What a build includes

Accessibility as a deliverable

An accessible site is a mark of care and a reduction in exposure. It is also a thing that can be checked, so we check it.

WCAG 2.1 AA is the standard we work and test to. That means semantic markup, a visible focus ring, contrast measured rather than eyeballed, alt text written by a person, labelled form fields, and a keyboard test of every path a patient takes. In Ontario the AODA requires public websites of organizations with fifty or more employees to meet WCAG 2.0 AA. British Columbia's Accessible British Columbia Act and the federal Accessible Canada Act set expectations for the organizations they cover.

Your site gets an accessibility statement page that says what was tested, what is known to fall short, and how a patient can tell you about a problem. Saying nothing is worse than saying what is not yet fixed.

What you get

• Semantic markup, labelled forms, and a visible focus indicator
• Contrast measured against the painted pixels rather than assumed
• Alt text written for the page, not generated
• Every patient path tested by keyboard before launch
• An accessibility statement page naming known limitations and how to report one

What it does not do

• Automated checking catches part of it. The rest is tested by hand, and we say which is which.
• Third party embeds, such as a booking tool, are outside our control. We name them in the statement.
• Passing a checklist is not the same as being usable by everyone. We treat findings from patients as real.

Where it sits. An accessibility pass is listed under Essential. Re reviewed quarterly under Care. See the three build tiers.

Related: Our own accessibility statement, The compliance register.