Public Policies and Inclusive Design: Analysis of a Brazilian Oncology Service

Legislation, standards, and policies (LSP) are essential means to promote and regulate accessibility, i.e., inclusion of vulnerable groups in society, especially concerning healthcare services. This study aims to analyse how public policies relate to inclusive design (ID) by promoting accessibility and inclusion in a Brazilian oncology service. We performed an exploratory case study; we analysed the Brazilian LSP, conducted in-depth interviews, and carried out non-participant observation. The results were analysed through thematic analysis and categorised into the following themes: service access, architectural and environmental aspects, information and communication aspects, technological aspects, and attitudinal aspects. In summary, we found that despite Brazilian LSP promoting the inclusion of patients in health services, the observations and interviews showed that there are many gaps in the area of inclusion and accessibility. The results highlight the complexity of working within political and regulatory contexts when implementing and managing such public policies. Then implementation and management should not be ignored, as they ensure the effectiveness of ID; long-term and ongoing actions at different levels of policy, implementation, and management must be taken to provide a more comprehensive understanding of ID in healthcare services.