Accessible information and reasonable adjustments

Could you benefit from accessible information?

Anyone with a disability or impairment is legally entitled to accessible information.

Accessible information provides your healthcare information in a way you can understand.

There are a number of options available to you to suit what you need. This includes additional communication support or an alternative format for your patient letters, such as:

an interpreter if you are Deaf and use BSL or have a hearing or speech impairment
your letters in braille or large print if you have a visual impairment
your hospital information in easy read if you have a learning disability.

Accessible information makes sure people with disabilities and impairments have equal opportunities to access, understand and participate in their healthcare.

Our accessible information options

We have a range of communication support and alternative formats available. This includes:

Interpreting and translation services for:
- British Sign Language (BSL)
- Lip-speaking
- Sign Supported English (SSE)
- Speech to text reporters (STTR)
- Spoken languages
Alternative formats for letters and other communications, including:
- Electronic versions of documents
- Braille
- Easy read (simple language with images), such as our easy read patient information leaflets
- Large print
Other reasonable adjustments
- An additional person to support you at your appointment (e.g. a carer)
- A healthcare advocate to attend an appointment (advance notice needed)
- A double appointment if you need more time to understand information or are using an interpreter
- A quiet space to wait for your out-patient appointment
- You can bring a registered assistance dog with you.

How to access our accessible information options

Our staff will ask you if you have any accessible information or reasonable adjustment needs during their first contact with you.

They will also check this is up-to-date throughout your care, to make sure your needs are consistently met.

Tell us about your needs

You can tell us about your accessible information or reasonable adjustment needs before your first appointment, or later if your needs change.

If you have received an appointment letter from us, you can contact your clinical team using the details provided, or on our contact us page, to tell us if you require any of the support listed above.

You can also tell our staff at reception when you arrive.

If you’ve signed up to our Patient Portal, you can update your own records with the support you need. See our guidance on how to select your communication preferences on our Patient Portal.

Our Patient Portal is available for all adult patients.

What to do if you can’t find the support you need or if we don’t provide it

Please ask us if you need some support that is not listed above. You can:

Ask a member of the team your care is with or any member of staff if you are in the Emergency Department
Contact our Patient Voice and Involvement team if you have asked for adjustments at your appointment or when you were an inpatient, and they were not provided – email ekhuft.patientvoice@nhs.net
Share your feedback anonymously using the Friends and Family Test (FFT) survey – you should receive this after you have been to the hospital.

Our duty to you

The Accessible Information Standard (AIS) is a legal requirement that supports NHS organisations to make reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities. It helps us meet your communication needs.

The standard applies to all health and social care organisations. It ensures we meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.

The standard tells us we must identify, record and meet the needs of people who need communication support, or information in a different format that they can understand. We must do this for patients, carers and parents.

To learn more, see NHS England’s overview of the Accessible Information Standard. It's available in a range of accessible formats.