A patient’s experience of using our hospital services should be positive. We want all of our patients, their families, carers and friends to feel confident in our services.

The Accessible Information Standard is a document written by NHS England. It requires us to provide information in different formats and to support people with disabilities who have communication needs. Different formats can be large print, Easy Read or British Sign Language, for example. Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is working hard to meet the requirements of this standard.

1. Identify

Ask people:

  • if they have any information or communication needs
  • what those needs are and
  • how we can meet their needs.

2. Record

  • Record those needs in a set way in the patient’s records
  • Clearly explain how their needs can be met

3. Flag

  • Flag, or place an ‘alert’ in a person’s electronic health record and on their file so it is clear that they have information or communication needs.

4. Share

  • Share information about a person’s communication needs with other Trust staff, teams and departments, and other NHS and adult social care providers, when the person has given their consent or permission to do so.

5. Meet

  • Take action to make sure that people get information in the format they need and support with communication if they need it.

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is committed to meet and improve the requirements of the standard with the necessary action and implementation plan in place.

For further information please contact Suzie Cro - Deputy Director of Quality/Freedom to Speak up Guardian by email or call 0300 422 5730