Overview
We aim to make our communication and information accessible to all. This policy provides the reasons for making information accessible and how we will achieve it.
Background and legal context
The Equality Act requires us to make “reasonable adjustments” to ensure everyone can access our services. This includes providing information in the most appropriate format. Everyone should be able to use services without any barriers, including obtaining information about them.
Under the Care Act, we must provide advice and information in an accessible format to meet an individual's needs.
The Accessible Information Standard requires the NHS and local authorities to have a standardised approach. Where a person's communication need arises from a disability, impairment or sensory loss, it covers:
- identifying
- recording
- flagging
- sharing
- acting upon
This standard applies to all organisations that provide NHS or social care. It includes where others have been commissioned to provide this care.
Our aim
To make information and communication accessible to the public, we need to:
- identify when a person has a communication need
- record on a person's adult care record their communication need and how it can be met
- flag a communication need on a person's adult care record. This will make it clear that the person has a communication need and detail how it can be met
- share information about the person's communication needs with other NHS and adult social care providers, where we have consent and permission to do so
- ensure that people obtain information in an accessible way and can access communication support where needed
- plan and budget for the provision of information in alternative formats so it can be provided in a timely manner