Accessible Information Standard

The Accessible Information Standard is a national standard for all NHS and social care provider borne out of equalities legislation. The standard aims to make sure that disabled people have access to information that they can understand and any communication support they might need from 31 July 2016.

At the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust we are committed to supporting our patients and service users and are working towards implementing this standard, which will enable us to:

1. Ask our patients or service users if they have any information or communication needs, and find out how to meet their needs.
2. Record those needs.
3. Highlight the patient or service users health record so it is clear that they have information or communication needs, and clearly explain how those needs should be met
4. Share information about a patient or service users needs with other NHS and adult social care providers, when they have consent or permission to do so
5. Make sure that our patients get information in an accessible way and communication support if they need it.

We will provide information in different formats such as Large print, Braille, Easy Read or via email.  To support our patients or service users communication needs we offer support from a British Sign Language (BSL)/Makaton interpreter, deafblind manual interpreter or an advocate.

Further information

More general information on the Accessible Information Standard can be found on the NHS England website.

Please contact the Equality and Diversity Manager at chelwest.equalityanddiversitymanager@nhs.net:

• For more Trust-related information
• If you are a patient (or carer of a patient) with a disability and have suggestions on how we can improve your experience of our services