Those with sight issues in Norfolk struggling to access NHS healthcare
Charities have found that over a third of NHS healthcare staff surveyed say haven't received enough training, despite measures being in place since 2016
Those with sight issues living in Norfolk say they are struggling to access healthcare they need through the NHS.
It comes after a coalition of charities including SignHealth and the Royal National Institute of Blind People found that over a third (37%) of healthcare staff surveyed say haven't received enough training, despite measures being in place since 2016.
They say this has led to significant health inequalities for disabled people, including situations which could put patients at serious risk through misdiagnosis, a lack of medication information, missed appointments and delays due to communication failures.
Rachael Andrews is blind and lives in Norwich.
Ms Andrews told us it's deeply frustrating and says awareness needs to be raised:
"I've been told I can't do email or I'm not allowed to do it, my job description doesn't allow it or we don't have the money. Sometimes I've even been told we don't have the time which is quite upsetting because it implies that somebody doesn't have the time to make things accessible for you as a patient and you need accessibility, you don't want to have to get somebody else to read a letter to you.
Most people don't set out in their daily lives to be awkward or unhelpful. But they don't understand that I'm 49 years old and not twelve, I don't want someone to read a letter to me or necessarily know all my medical details. I want to have independence and autonomy over my own medical records, so stressing that is very important".
She went on to says there's a range of reasons why the picture's so bad and that more needs to be done to properly implement what's already in place:
"The standard has been in place for such a long time that people should be aware of it. But, the NHS is chronically underfunded and understaffed and the accountability is difficult to pin down. So it's very difficult.
Although the training is in place, it seems to be extremely patchy and many people don't even know about it. So, they need to be trained and there needs to be funding to actually join all the systems together, so that the end user (i.e me) gets what they need".
The report calls for urgent measures to be taken to ensure people can access the healthcare they need:
• Providers must deliver training to staff to explain the requirements of the Standard
• Patient record systems must flag patients’ communication needs, alerting staff to book BSL interpreters or send alternative formats
• Alternative contact methods for booking appointments or receiving test results must be provided which meet the needs of the patient
• Strengthen accountability by including and monitoring information accessibility requirements in provider contracts
Healthwatch Norfolk found that the Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Trust and Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust admitted they are not fully complying with the standard.
While the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust said they routinely carried out all three key requirements.
But, The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Trust and the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust did not respond to their Freedom Of Information request, which was submitted in September 2021.
An NHS spokesperson told us:
"All NHS services have a legal duty to provide clear and appropriate methods of communication to ensure that patients, service users and carers understand everything they need to about their treatment and care.
“NHS England is currently reviewing the Accessible Information Standard, including how to better ensure that people's communication needs are met."