Access to health and social care

Download easy read information on the Accessible Information Standard (NHS England) (PDF, 5MB)

Compliance with the AIS is a legal requirement for all providers of NHS and adult social care in England, under section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

The AIS sets out clear guidance on what must be done to make services accessible to people with disabilities and sensory loss, including parents, guardians, or carers.

The purpose of the AIS is to make sure people with disabilities and sensory loss fully understand information they are given and can fully participate in discussions about their treatment and care.

This means in line with the Standards, you should be able to access the services you need in a way that suits you:

• Your service provider should offer a range of different accessible methods for you to contact them, and be contacted by them such as by email, text, online booking/repeat prescription ordering. 
• Provide communication support in consultation areas and during appointments, such as a BSL interpreter, personal listening device or lipspeaker. 
• Supply information about your health and care in a format that is accessible to you, such as BSL video or written down.

To meet these legal requirements, health and social care providers must: 

• Identify – ask people with a disability and/or sensory loss if they need help to be contacted, to communicate well, and to understand written information. 
• Record – record individuals’ communication and information needs in a standardised way. 
• Flag – although these details are confidential, they must be highly visible or linked to an electronic alert to prompt staff to take action. 
• Share – an individual’s communication and information needs must be shared with other services as part of a routine referral, or discharge and handover process, in line with data protection requirements. 
• Meet – people with disabilities and sensory loss must be able to contact services when they need to, communicate well during appointments and understand information they’re given. 

In 2021 we were part of a coalition of charities who surveyed NHS and social care professionals in England, as well as disabled people who have accessible information and communication needs, about the AIS.

The Standard states that patients should be able to contact, and be contacted by service providers in accessible ways, however 67% of Deaf people reported that no accessible method of contacting their GP has been made available to them. Service providers should also provide communication support, if this is needed to support conversation during an appointment but 81% of patients reported their communication needs were unmet when attending an appointment. Read the full report on the SignHealth website.

To find out more about the Accessible Information Standard, visit the NHS England website.

You have the right to complain if you feel your health or adult social care provider has not met your information and communication needs as part of the Standard. A family member, carer or friend can complain on your behalf with your permission.

You can choose to either complain directly to your service provider, using their formal complaints procedure, or you may be more comfortable complaining to a commissioner. This is the organisation that pays for the service you receive and in most cases in England will be your local integrated care board (ICB).

If you’re not sure how to submit a complaint, these services may be able to help:

• The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) – offers confidential advice and support and can provide more information on the NHS complaints procedure, including how to get independent help.   
• Healthwatch – can help you find independent NHS complaints advocacy services in your area.   

For more information on the complaints process and alternative advocacy services, visit the NHS England website.  

If you are not happy with the response you receive or the way your complaint has been handled from either your service provider, or a commissioner and would like the matter investigating further, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman an independent, free service which makes final decisions on unresolved complaints about the NHS in England. 

Download easy read information on All Wales Standards (gov.wales) (PDF, 1,246KB)

These Standards aim to make sure that the communication and information needs of people with a sensory loss are met when accessing health care and social care services in Wales.

The Standards state that:

• All frequently used information leaflets and documents intended for patients and the public should be available in accessible formats.
• All public and patient areas should be assessed to identify the needs of people with sensory loss.
• People with sensory loss should be asked to describe their communication needs when they register with a new GP or primary healthcare service and arrangements should be made to gather this information for existing patients.
• A ‘flagging’ system on a patient’s record should enable practice staff to understand the needs of the patient when they attend the practice.
• When patients are referred for treatment elsewhere, their communication needs should be transferred.
• People with sensory loss should be able to make an appointment through a variety of contact methods, including email, text messaging, textphones and websites.
• All reception and consultation areas should be fitted with a hearing loop or other appropriate technology.
• All staff should be trained in how to communicate effectively with someone with a sensory loss.
• Every patient or service user who requires communication support should have this need met, for example by arranging a British Sign Language Interpreter or lipspeaker, or providing a hearing loop.

To find out more, visit the Public Health Wales website.

Although all NHS health care and social care services should be accessible, we know this often isn’t the case. We will keep campaigning for equal access, but you may also want to complain if you’ve had a bad experience.

If an NHS health care or social care provider (such as your GP) does not meet these requirements, you have the right to complain.

The best place to start is by talking to the staff involved with your care or treatment as soon as possible. If this does not help, or you do not want to speak to the staff, you can contact the health board or trust’s concerns team.

Once you have completed the complaints process and have received their final response, if you are still not happy, you can contact the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.

If you need help to submit a complaint, the Community Health Council’s independent advocacy service provides free and confidential support. Find your local Community Health Council.

For more information on the complaints process, visit the NHS Wales website.

Easy read information on the Charter (gov.scot)

The Charter of Patient Rights and Responsibilities outlines what you are entitled to when you use NHS services and receive NHS care in Scotland, and what you can do if you feel that your rights have not been respected.

The ‘Communication and involving you’ section of the Charter summarises your rights when communicating with the NHS. This includes:

• The right to be provided with information in a way that you can understand and that meets your needs.
• The right to be provided with communication equipment or support in health services, hospital, the community or at home. This includes (but is not limited to) having someone else present at an appointment or having an interpreter.

For more information, visit the NHS Inform website.

Although the AIS (see more information in the England section) is not legally enforceable in Scotland, it is still considered best practice. 

Although all NHS health care and social care services should be accessible, we know this often isn’t the case. We will keep campaigning for equal access, but you may also want to complain if you’ve had a bad experience.

If an NHS health care or social care provider (such as your GP) does not meet these requirements, you have the right to complain.

The best place to start is by talking to the staff involved with your care or treatment as soon as possible. If this does not help, or you do not want to speak to the staff, you can ask to speak to a senior member of staff, or the Feedback and Complaints Officer for the NHS organisation involved.

If you prefer to complain in writing rather than in person or over the phone, you can send a letter or an email to the relevant NHS organisation. If your complaint is about a GP, pharmacy, dentist or hospital, you can find the relevant contact information on the NHS Inform website.

Once you have completed the NHS complaints procedure, if you’re still not happy, you can contact the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

You can contact the Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS) for independent advice and support when making a complaint. To find out more about PASS, visit the Citizens Advice Scotland website.

To find out more about the complaints procedure, visit the NHS Inform website.

In Northern Ireland, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 gives people with disabilities (including those who are deaf or have hearing loss) important rights when visiting their GP or other NHS services.

It also places a duty on GPs and other NHS services to make reasonable adjustments and offer reasonable ancillary aids and services. These may include sign language interpreters, hearing loops and publications in different formats – where needed and where it is reasonable to offer.

For more information, visit the NI Direct website.

Although all NHS health care and social care services should be accessible, we know this often isn’t the case. We will keep campaigning for equal access, but you may also want to complain if you’ve had a bad experience.  

If an NHS health care or social care provider (such as your GP) does not meet these requirements, you have the right to complain.  

The first stage of the complaints procedure is to try to resolve your complaint directly with the staff and service that were involved in your treatment.  

If you remain unhappy after you have completed the formal complaints procedure and received a final response, you can refer your complaint to the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints (the Ombudsman).  

If you need help, the Patient Client Council offer a free support service to support the public with questions, concerns or complaints they may have within their health and social care.  

To find out more about how to complain, visit the NI Direct website.