(Published 21/07/2023)
What is The Accessible Information Standard?
From July 2016, all organisations providing health or adult social care have to comply with the Accessible Information Standard in relation to direct patient/service user care or services. The Standard sets out a specific, consistent approach to identifying, recording, flagging, sharing and meeting the information and communication support needs of patients, service users, carers and parents with a disability, impairment or sensory loss.
What are the 5 steps of The Accessible Information Standard?
The Accessible Information Standard says that people who have a disability or sensory loss should get information in a way they can access and understand. To ensure that people using services receive information in the way they can access and understand there are five basic steps you should follow:
1. Ask: identify / find out if an individual has any communication /information needs relating to a disability or sensory loss and if so what they are.
2. Record:record those needs in a clear, unambiguous and standardised way in electronic and / or paper based record / administrative systems / documents.
3. Alert / flag / highlight:ensure that recorded needs are ‘highly visible’whenever the individual’s record is accessed, and prompt for action.
4. Share:include information about individuals’ information /communication needs as part of existing data sharing processes (and in line with existing information governance frameworks).
5. Act:take steps to ensure that individuals receiveinformation which they can access and understand, and receive communication support if they need it.
What can you do if your communication needs are not met?
We know that not all services are fully compliant with the Accessible Information Standard.
If you do not receive information about our health and care in a format that suits you, you can:
- Remind service staff that they have a legal duty to provide accessible information under the Accessible Information Standard.
- Make an informal complaint to the nearest Patient Advice and Liaison Service which can help you to resolve issues informally.
- Make a formal complaint. If you’re thinking about making a complaint, you are entitled to support from the independent NHS Complaints Advocacy Service.
- Share your experience with your local Healthwatch, who will feed back to local services and decision-makers, as well as feed into Healthwatch England’s national advocacy work.
- Get involved with your local Patient Participation Group or patient reference group – groups of patient volunteers which work to represent the voices of patients and improve services.
