Accessible information and reasonable adjustments

If you have a disability or long-term health condition, you have a right to expect we will make changes for you, so you have equal access to healthcare.

These changes, known as reasonable adjustments, include:

  • providing information about your healthcare in a way you can understand
  • giving you support to help you use our services.

As an NHS organisation, we must follow the Accessible Information Standard (AIS) and Reasonable Adjustments Digital Flag (RADF) that tell us we must identify, record and meet your needs. We must do this for patients, families and carers.

If you have asked for adjustments at your appointment or when you were an inpatient, and they were not provided, please share your feedback with us.

More information

Help with communication

  • We offer other formats for letters and othe communications, including: 
    • Electronic versions of documents
    • Braille
    • Large print
    • There are easy read versions of patient information leaflets in our patient information library
  • We can arrange translation and interpreting services for you. Please contact the person who has sent you the appointment letter to arrange an interpreter, as they will need book the service for you.
  • Deaf health charity, Sign Health, provide a collection of health videos in British Sign Language. It covers topics from cancer and depression, to how to perform first aid.

Help travelling to and around our hospitals

We will do our best to meet any reasonable adjustments you need, related to a disability or long-term condition, such as:

  • an additional person to help you at your appointment (such as a carer or family member)
  • a healthcare advocate to help you at your appointment (advance notice needed)
  • a double appointment to give you more time to understand information or communicate with an interpreter
  • a quiet space to wait for your out-patient appointment
  • adjustments to the lighting level
  • wheelchair access.

We will ask you if you have any needs during our first contact with you. We will also check this is up-to-date throughout your care.

Or you can contact us using the details on your appointment letter, to let us know what you need before your appointment.

Parking

We have car parking for Blue Badge holders, and parking at our hospitals is free for anyone with a blue badge.

Assistance dogs

We welcome registered assistance dogs who support our patients to attend an outpatient appointment, day treatment or the Emergency Department.

We also welcome all registered assistance dogs who support our visitors, as part of our Visitors Policy.