Going to work is something most of us take for granted, or even complain about.

But for people with severe disabilities the biggest frustration is that they are often locked out of the workplace because no-one will give them a job.

Too often that can leave them bored, lonely and depressed.

But at the Canberra Hospital, several people with disabilities have been given jobs, giving them a paycheck and – more importantly – confidence.

Ben Pattrick has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair.

He is now working for a living in the hospital’s mail room, and his mother Cheryl says he could not be happier.

“I think it will help him develop into a much more mature young man,” she said.

“It’s given him the opportunity to meet people, feel like he’s achieving in life and it’s just been fabulous.”

In many jobs, a wheelchair would be hindrance, but for delivering mail it has advantages.

Mr Pattrick’s colleagues say he covers at least eight kilometres a day, saving them a lot of legwork.

“Ben came into the team and just made a big difference for us, taking a lot of the load off us in the runs he does,” said the head of the mail room, Peter Humphries.

“It’s working out great.”

Ms Pattrick says the job gets Ben out of the house and gives him a salary – things most of us take for granted.

“Part of it is just the opportunity to be here and meeting people and talking with people and not being isolated,” she said.

“I think that’s really important.”

More work needed

Most people would agree that people with disabilities are as entitled to work as anyone, but the hospital mail room is still an exception, not the rule.

ACT Health Minister Katy Gallagher acknowledges governments have been too slow to hire people with disabilities.

“I don’t think we’ve done exceptionally well in the past,” she said.

“I think there’s more work to be done and that’s certainly the view ACT Health has taken.”

“Particularly for Ben it’s delivered the right outcome for him, which is a job.”

Ms Pattrick says more workplaces need to consider hiring people with disabilities.

“I think people are often a little bit too scared,” she said.

“They’re just really not sure what’s involved so that tends to close a lot of doors.

“But I think this is a really good example of what you can do when various people work together.”