downloadable

1. Accessible
Information
Standard
Sarah Marsay
Public Engagement Manager
NHS England
28th February 2017

2. www.england.nhs.uk
• The Accessible Information Standard aims to make sure that
people who have a disability, impairment or sensory loss get
accessible information and communication support.
• From 1st August 2016 onwards, all organisations that provide NHS
care and / or publicly-funded adult social care must follow the
Standard in full. This includes providers from the public, private and
voluntary sectors.
• Commissioners (including Clinical Commissioning Groups and
local authorities) are also required to support compliance by
providers.
Overview
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3. www.england.nhs.uk
The Standard sets out a series of requirements for all organisations that
provide NHS care and / or publicly-funded adult social care. In summary, the
Standard says that they must:
• identify
• record
• flag
• share and
• meet
the information and communication support needs of patients, service users,
carers and parents with a disability, impairment or sensory loss.
Scope (1 of 2)
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4. www.england.nhs.uk
The Standard says that patients, service users, carers and parents
with a disability, impairment or sensory loss should:
• Be able to contact, and be contacted by, services in accessible
ways, for example email or text message.
• Get letters and information in formats they can read and
understand, for example audio, braille, email or easy read.
• Be supported by a communication professional at appointments if
this is needed to support conversation, for example a British Sign
Language (BSL) interpreter.
• Get support from health and care staff and organisations to
communicate, for example to lip-read.
Scope (2 of 2)
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5. www.england.nhs.uk
• From 1st August 2016 onwards, all organisations that provide NHS
care and / or publicly-funded adult social care in England must
comply with the Standard in full.
• A range of resources, tools and guidance have been made
available to support compliance.
• Fundamentally, the Standard has succeeded if it means that people
with a disability, impairment or sensory loss receive accessible
information and communication support.
• We know that adoption / compliance is not universal, but we also
know that it is happening, and is making a real difference.
• A post-implementation review is currently taking place.
Current position
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6. www.england.nhs.uk
• The Standard does not set out accessibility requirements for NHS
websites or online services.
• However, there are clear opportunities for meeting people’s information
and communication needs digitally.
• Enabling access to an online portal can support services to provide
accessible contact methods and accessible information /
correspondence to patients with a disability, impairment or sensory
loss.
• Also remember that, for many people, email and / or text message are
accessible methods of communication.
Digital opportunities (1 of 3)
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7. www.england.nhs.uk
• Access to an online portal can, for example:
 Enable patients with hearing loss to arrange appointments and
order repeat prescriptions online as an alternative to the
telephone.
 Enable patients with visual loss to access test results and other
clinical information online, using assistive technology such as a
screen-reader, as an alternative to written correspondence.
• In addition, use of video consultations can provide another way to
meet the needs of d/Deaf patients in particular, for example through
a three-way conversation between the GP / clinician, patient and a
British Sign Language interpreter.
Digital opportunities (2 of 3)
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8. www.england.nhs.uk
• Maximising the accessibility of digital communications and tools
can enable services to meet the needs of many patients quickly,
efficiently and cost-effectively.
• Practical steps include ensuring that:
• Websites and electronic documents are accessible for people
using assistive technology such as screen-readers;
• Plain English is used, and difficult terms are explained;
• Videos include subtitles or closed captions;
• Patients can use email, text message and / or an online portal
to contact the service, as well as vice versa.
Digital opportunities (3 of 3)
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9. www.england.nhs.uk
• A review of the Standard is currently taking place, looking at impact
(in its broadest sense) and identifying any adjustments needed to
ensure it is (and continues to be) ‘fit for purpose’.
• Feedback is being sought from service providers, commissioners
and service users, as well as other stakeholders, primarily via three
‘targeted’ surveys.
• The deadline for feedback is 10th March 2017.
• Following the review, a report will be produced, and it is likely that
the Specification and Implementation Guidance will be reissued –
however, there will be no substantive changes to the scope.
Post-implementation review – overview
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10. www.england.nhs.uk
• Please complete a survey and have your say before 10th March!
• Further information about the Standard and the review, including
online surveys, is published online at
www.england.nhs.uk/accessibleinfo
• General enquiries should be sent to
england.nhs.participation@nhs.net or patients / members of the
public can call 0300 311 22 33.
Further information and onwards contacts
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11. Thank you!