Read our latest policy statements.
Cafes, pubs and restaurants
Visiting restaurants, cafés, and pubs should all be part of leading a full social life. We want to remove the barriers currently experienced by deaf people and those with hearing loss or tinnitus to ensure equal access to these social spaces.
Download our cafe, pub and restaurant policy statement (PDF, 88KB)
TV and Video on Demand (VOD)
Access to TV for deaf people and those with hearing loss or tinnitus is vastly improving. However, there are still many programmes that remain inaccessible due to a lack of, or poor quality, subtitles or signed interpretation, or inaudible speech, particularly with video on demand services. This shouldn’t be the case.
Download our TV and VOD policy statement (243KB)
Employment
People with hearing loss continue to face barriers getting into work and once in work. When support is given, hearing loss needn’t be a barrier to people carrying out – and excelling in – most jobs. This policy statement outlines what we’d like to see change, so that peoples’ hearing loss does not limit their ability to access and thrive in employment.
Download our Employment policy statement (PDF, 323 KB)
Access to health care
Government, the NHS, GPs and other health care services must take action to meet the requirements of equality legislation and standards for accessible information and communication, to ensure people with hearing loss can access health care without barriers.
Download our Access to Health and Social Care policy statement (PDF, 397KB)
Cochlear Implants
More adults could benefit from cochlear implantation. This statement makes recommendations for how this can be achieved, including calling on NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) to review and update its guidance, better public awareness and improved referral rates from audiology.
Download our Cochlear Implants policy statement (Microsoft Word document, 164KB)
Social care
Social care can help deaf people and those with hearing loss or tinnitus communicate with other people, get into and remain in work and look after their health and wellbeing. Despite its benefits, we know that deaf people and those with hearing loss or tinnitus often struggle to access the social care they need due to social care funding cuts, unwarranted variations in service quality and provision, and poor co-ordination between health and social care services.
Download our Social care policy statement (PDF, 397KB)
Accessible Communications Policy
The NHS England Accessible Information Standard (AIS) was introduced in July 2016 and applies to all providers of NHS and publicly-funded adult social care.