NHS publish new Accessible Information Standard
NHS England quietly published a refreshed version of the Accessible Information Standard (AIS) on 30 June. The standard, first published in 2016, is designed to ensure that disabled and sensory impaired people can receive information and communication support in accessing health and care services.
The existing AIS had five steps requiring service providers to identify, record, flag, share, and meet people’s communication needs. The refreshed AIS adds a sixth step, to ‘review’ needs, which means that where an individual’s needs change, organisations must proactively review and update information about this.
Here is the Healthwatch England response.
If your needs are not being met, we advise you to make a complaint to your NHS provider, the North East London Integrated Care Board or to Waltham Forest Council. NHS England has indicated that complaints data may be useful as another lever to encourage AIS compliance.