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<p>NHS England published the Accessible Information Standard (formally called SCCI1605 Accessible Information) in July 2015.</p><p> </p><p>Compliance with the Standard is a legal duty and organisations that provide NHS care or adult social care – including general practice – are required to implement the Standard in full by 31 July 2016, and then ensure ongoing compliance thereafter.</p><p> </p><p>The <a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/access-info-spec-fin.pdf" target="_blank">Specification</a> for the Accessible Information Standard sets out a series of requirements that organisations that provide NHS care and/or publicly-funded adult social care must follow. These required actions can be summarised as five key steps, which all ‘applicable organisations’ must complete. They must:</p><p> </p><ol><li>Ask people if they have any information or communication needs, and find out how to meet their needs;</li><li>record those needs clearly and in a set way;</li><li>highlight or flag the person’s file or notes so it is clear that they have information or communication needs and how to meet those needs;</li><li>share information about people’s information and communication needs with other providers of NHS care and adult social care, when they have consent or permission to do so; and</li><li>take steps to ensure that people’s needs are met, including receiving information which they can access and understand, and communication support if they need it.</li></ol><p> </p><p>The Standard is expected to have particular impact for people who are blind, deafblind or have visual loss.</p><p> </p> |