Overview

The Centre for Accessibility provides students with an avenue for requesting disability-related accommodations without having to disclose their medical situation or their medical documentation to their instructors or faculty. While instructors and relevant university staff need to know about your accommodations to implement them, they do not need to know why you are registered with the Centre.

Is the medical information I provide to the Centre confidential?

Any medical information that you provide to the Centre, whether it is written information (e.g., medical documentation) or verbal information (e.g., information about your medical condition that you might tell an Accessibility Advisor during your meeting) is considered your private “personal information” under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (sometimes referred to as FOIPOP or FIPPA). Under FIPPA, the Centre is required to keep your medical information confidential from other parties both on and off campus. However, the Centre will need to disclose a limited but necessary amount of your medical information to other parts of the university to provide you with services. Further, there are some other limited circumstances where the Centre may be required to disclose more of your information in accordance with FIPPA.

Why does the Centre need to disclose some of my medical information to provide me with services?

The confidentiality requirements under FIPPA are extremely strict and prevent the Centre from even disclosing to other parties that you are registered with the Centre and eligible for services as this information is deemed to be “medical information”. To provide you with services, the Centre needs your consent to be able to tell other relevant parties on campus that you are eligible for these services.

How much of my information is disclosed and to whom?

When you made your first appointment with the Centre you filled out the online intake form and indicated your consent to the following statement:

I consent to the staff of the Centre for Accessibility releasing relevant information to other parts of UBC to the extent necessary for the Centre to provide services. This may include information about my registration at the Centre and any accommodations or academic concessions for which I am eligible. The Centre does not typically disclose medical documentation or information regarding diagnosis or treatment. Subject to the laws of the province governing access to information (Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act), the Centre will not release any identifying information about me to any parties other than those involved in the provision of services to me at UBC. This may include my instructors, faculty advising offices, Enrolment Services, and other service providers on campus.

By indicating your consent, you are allowing the Centre to disclose to other parts of the University information “to the extent necessary” for to provide you with services. “Necessary” information that the Centre may share includes:

Confirming your registration at the Centre;
Confirming what accommodations or services that you are eligible for;
Details of how your condition impacts you if it is necessary to provide the service (e.g., “student will require a wheelchair accessible classroom,” “student has a condition that impacts them in the early morning”).

The Centre needs to share this information with those other faculty and staff on campus who are involved in facilitating or providing your accommodations. For undergraduates, this usually includes your instructors and your faculty advisors (procedures will depend on your faculty or program) but can also include other campus units such as Enrolment Services or Student Housing and Community Services depending on what accommodations or services you are seeking.

It is not necessary for us to share the majority of your medical information to provide you with services. Information that the Centre will not disclose in the ordinary course of business includes:

Your diagnosis;
Your medical documentation or medical details provided in your documentation including medication and treatment.

If I do not consent to the information being shared, what are the consequences?

All accommodations on campus require the participation of other faculties and units on campus. If you do not consent to the Centre sharing necessary medical information with these faculties and/or units, the Centre will be unable to facilitate accommodations or provide you with services other than to provide you with general advice.

Are there any other circumstances where the Centre might disclose my medical information?

There are a few extremely limited circumstances where the Centre may disclose more medical information and to parties other than those detailed above. Most are exceptions set out in FIPPA and include:

When a student has requested and given us explicit permission in writing to disclose medical information;
If we are required by a court order to disclose medical information; and
If the student poses a threat to themselves or others and it is related to their medical condition.

In cases where a student appeals a decision of the Centre or files a complaint against the Centre to another authority in the University, the Centre is required to release information to the appropriate person or body hearing the complaint.

Are my accommodations or registration with the Centre for Accessibility on my transcripts?

No, your status as a student with a disability or medical condition is not indicated on your transcript or your degree. The Centre will not disclose your registration at the Centre to non-UBC parties, including your family, other educational institutions or employers, without your explicit permission in writing.

Should I tell my instructors about my disability?

Disclosing a disability or medical condition is a personal choice. First and foremost, you do not have to disclose a disability in order to get help, or to get access to your accommodations. Your Accommodation Letter is a tool you can use to communicate with your instructors and is intended to protect both parties by maintaining confidentiality. If you are asking for help, focusing on “functional impact” can help keep the focus on what is happening, rather than why it is happening. Using phrases such as “I have a condition that has flared up” or “I have a condition that is impacting my learning” can be useful ways to open a conversation while keeping the focus on course-specific questions and solutions. Your instructor does not need to know the specifics of your disability to provide accommodations and they should not be asking about it beyond what you wish to disclose to them. If your instructor ever has a disability or accommodation-related question that you do not feel comfortable answering, please refer your instructor to your Accessibility Advisor.

What if I am in a program or department that has a different process than undergraduate classes (e.g., Law, professional graduate programs, Pharmacy, Nursing, MDUP)?

There are programs or faculties that have developed internal communication channels or roles to assist with providing accommodations. These processes are still confidential and must adhere to UBC’s policies for information handling as well as FIPPA. Your Accessibility Advisor will be able to review the processes and procedures for your faculty for those in Law, Nursing, Medical Residency, Pharmacy, and Professional Graduate Programs.