Making information more accessible
The system doesn’t anticipate that not everyone can use the phone. It is a legal requirement of the Equality Act that NHS Trusts make reasonable adjustments by providing alternatives to use of a telephone.
Many people are not getting information from GPs, hospitals, dentists, care providers and others in formats that meet their needs.
The Accessible Information Standard is a law to make sure people who have a disability, impairment or sensory loss are given information they can easily read or understand. We have highlighted the daily challenges for those with communication needs to get the accessible healthcare information they’re entitled to. This has led to improved rights and, crucially, more people being able to exercise those rights and get the support and information they need.
Our accessible information report in June 2022 shared the views and experiences of people who need information in different formats. It linked to the Accessible Information Standard – a legal requirement that health and care organisations ask people if they need information in a different format and then deliver on it.
What did our report find?
We found that two thirds of our respondents had never been asked if they needed information in a different format. 59% had to rely on someone else to read information to them if it was sent in the wrong format. People said they were frustrated with the situation and felt their independence had been taken away.
It should be a standard question asked at the start of any process: ‘What is your preferred means of communication?’ Please do not assume.
Our recommendations
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Services are held accountable for fully delivering the standard.
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Every health and care service has an accessibility champion appointed to lead their service’s accessible policy and delivery.
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Better technology and systems are available so patients can update services with their communication needs.
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People with communication needs are involved and can regularly give feedback on their experiences to ensure continuous improvement.
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Training is made mandatory for all health and care staff.
Your feedback is making a change
- The NHS in Humber (including Whitby in North Yorkshire) make sure the electronic patient records include an accessibility flag to alert staff of a communication need.
- The NHS in York and Scarborough produce letters for patients using a system called Synertec in a person’s preferred format automatically. The system automatically creates large print, easy read and other versions based on a person’s need.
- The NHS in Harrogate have produced an easy-read format for their friends and family test and feedback forms for patients, carers, children and young people.
- The NHS in Harrogate have developed a reader group – the group, made up of patients, volunteers and some staff, reviews and provides comments on patient literature and information, including leaflets, posters and other written forms of information, to ensure it is accessible for the intended audience.
- The North Yorkshire Safeguarding Adults Board agreed to prioritise the implementation of our recommendations and support all partner organisations to fulfil the report’s principles.
- We are working with the Humber & North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership (also known as an integrated care system), who have committed to prioritising accessible information. They have said their initial priority will be digital and website communication.
- Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust has implemented a project to strengthen its support and guidance for teams on Accessible Information. The project brought together existing information with new resources to ensure teams have the best possible guidance when creating patient information and providing alternative formats and translation. There is also training on recording people’s communications preferences and new information for staff on creating accessible information and material in other languages.
- The NHS have asked a company called Silktide to run accessibility tests on their website 24/7. This is supported by manual audits too. They use the web content accessibility guidelines to score. One example is the Let’s Get Better website, which contains information aimed at patients and the public. It is reporting 95% accessibility score. Skilktide are currently reviewing and updating the NHS care board's website is currently reporting 56%. There will now be a focus on improving this.
- Progress on making information more accessible was discussed with patients and carers in Whitby.
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The NHS in South Tees, who also provide hospital services for people from Northallerton and Richmondshire, are now giving hospital passports for patients, their families and carers to improve patient' information.
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The NHS across Humber, which covers Whitby Hospital, make sure that electronic patient records include a flag to alert staff of an accessible communication need and to tailor any communications to meet needs.
What are the next steps?
1. This work has brought together existing information with new resources to ensure NHS staff have the best possible guidance when creating patient information and providing alternative formats and translation. There is also training on recording people’s communications preferences and new information for staff on creating accessible information and material in other languages.
2. North Yorkshire Safeguarding Adults Board is challenging members to improve provision of information in accessible formats, the City of York Council's Health and Wellbeing Board is doing the same and we are working with the integrated care system (Humber & North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership) to ensure accessible information is a priority for them too.
“The self advocates at KeyRing North Yorkshire were really happy to see an Easy Read version of a hospital letter and were excited to know that Scarborough and York are keen to make these changes!”
