Key campaigner call to action – Help your
GP provide information in a format their
patients can read
Summary
For too long, too many blind and partially sighted people have
been receiving their health information in a format they cannot
read. People with sight loss have been kept in the dark regarding
test results, and missed appointments they didn’t know they had.
While others have resorted to asking family, friends or neighbours
to read their confidential information out to them.
From July 2016, this should no longer be the case.
Earlier this year, NHS England approved the Accessible
Information Standard (1605). The Standard will ensure that health
information is provided to all patients and service users in a way
they can read and understand. This applies to all healthcare
providers – GPs, Dentists, Hospitals and Pharmacists.
This is a huge achievement. Thanks to everyone who has
supported this campaign over the years, you’ve made a real
difference and have helped make this Standard a reality.
By 1 April 2016, GPs must identify and record how their patients
need to be communicated with. Whether they’re visiting their
service for the first time, or a regular user. Then, by 31 July 2016,
these records must be in place, and patients should receive
information in the format they have requested.
However, we’re concerned that this message just isn’t getting
through to healthcare providers. This is where you come in. As a
Key campaigner, we need you to give a handout to your local GP
Surgery, where patient records are held, to ensure that they
understand these upcoming changes and what is expected of
them.
RNIB – supporting people with sight loss
RNIB charity numbers 226227, SC039316 and 1109
Call to Action
Whether you’re blind, partially sighted or sighted, receive your
health information in a format you can read or not; there are a
number of things you can do to help your GP provide information in
a format their patients can read.
Why act now?
Healthcare providers must start putting procedures into place by 1
April 2016, which is less than 4 months away. With GP Surgeries
facing ever-increasing demands, we need you to alert them to the
Accessible Information Standard as soon as possible to help them
ensure that they meet its guidelines.
Depending on how involved you’re willing to get, and how much
time you have to spare, take a look at our quick action and high
impact action below.
Quick action – give a handout to your GP
Please give a handout to your GP Surgery. This is simple to do.
We’ve created a short leaflet for you to send to your Doctor, or
hand in to your Practice reception explaining more about the
Standard and what is required of the Practice.
You can take this quick action by downloading the handout at:
http://bit.ly/1TPPd6t. Don’t have access to the internet or a printer?
Get in touch and we can send you a handout to give to your GP.
Once you’ve taken action, please let us know:
 Who at the GP Surgery you gave the handout to
 The name of your GP Surgery, its postcode and email
address (if you have them)
 When you handed over the handout
Knowing more about the GP Surgery you’ve informed will help us
to track the campaign’s progress, and help shape our future
engagement.
rnib.org.uk
High impact action – meet with your local
patient participation group and/or your local
Healthwatch
Get in touch with your local patient participation group and/or
Healthwatch to make them aware of the Standard.
Both groups were established to listen and act on to people’s
views and experiences of health and social care. Highlighting the
issue of inaccessible information, and the need for healthcare
providers to put this right, is a great way to ensure that GPs,
Dentists, Pharmacists and Hospitals in your area fully implement
the Standard.
To find out how to contact your local Healthwatch, please visit:
www.healthwatch.co.uk/find-local-healthwatch or call our
campaigns hotline on 020 7391 2123 and we’ll do our best to help.
To find out more about your local patient participation group and
how to get in touch with them, please contact your GP Surgery.
Need advice on what to say when meeting with your local
Healthwatch or patient participation group? Get in touch on 020
7391 2123 or at [email protected].
Share your story
Personal experiences and real life stories really help to put our
message across and bring our campaigns to life. We’re always on
the lookout for stories.
Are you blind or partially sighted? Do you receive inaccessible
information from your healthcare providers? Please get in touch
with us to share the consequences of this. Call 020 7391 2123 or
email [email protected].
There are lots of opportunities for you to share your story, if you’d
prefer us not to use your name, we can anonymise your
information. Either way, we’ll always check that it’s okay with you
before sharing your story with anyone else.
rnib.org.uk
Keeping RNIB’s Campaigns Team up to date
We love hearing from our Key Campaigners! We’re on hand to
support you when taking action and would love it if you could feed
back to us on taking your action.
Where you can find help and support
Our briefings are there to help you and can be found at:
http://bit.ly/REjieb
Please contact me at [email protected] or call 020 7391
2173 if you have any questions or would like any further
information.
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rnib.org.uk