Accessibility: Are health and social care services meeting information and communication needs?

Healthwatch Sandwell have been listening to Sandwell residents who are Deaf, blind, visually impaired, have a learning disability or autism. We have been exploring Accessibility: Are health and social care services meeting information and communication needs?

The findings highlight that overall services are not sufficiently, or consistently, meeting the NHS Accessible Information Standard 2016. Therefore for Sandwell residents with disabilities, sensory loss, or impairments there is inequity in access and receipt of health and care services and inequalities in health and mental wellbeing.

Healthwatch England have recommended to NHS England to review and revision of the Accessible Information Standard. The Healthwatch Sandwell report complements the national picture by providing a practical “toolkit” resource based on the experiences, voices and views of local people to help inform and improve accessibility in health and social care services. The report includes 10 recommendations for delivery and commissioning of services in Sandwell and the Black Country health and care services.

The report has been produced in accessible formats and is complemented by local peoples voices on audio and video recordings. The links are below and on the Healthwatch Sandwell website https://www.healthwatchsandwell.co.uk/news-and-reports

PDF Reports:

• Full Report: Accessibility Report – Healthwatch Sandwell – March 2023
• Easy Read report summary: Accessibility Report – Easy Read – Healthwatch Sandwell – March 2023

Patient voice – Video and audio recordings from Sandwell residents:

• Accessibility – Deaf young people’s voices – challenges with health and care services – BSL & sub-titled video (7 minutes)
• Accessibility – Blind and visually impaired voices – health and care services – audio (5 minutes)
• Accessibility – Blind and visually impaired voices – hospital experiences – audio (2 minutes)
• Accessibility – Blind and visually impaired voices – eye clinic experiences – audio   (1 minute)

Healthwatch Sandwell would welcome feedback on the report outputs and would like to engage with health and care services to develop patient involvement and improvements in services.

Please contact: Sophie Shuttlewood – Projects and Partnerships Lead

Mobile: 07732 683483 Email:  Sophie.Shuttlewood@healthwatchsandwell.co.uk