Making health and social care information accessible
The new Accessible Information Standards for GP Practices has been launched by NHS England and comes into force on 31 July 2016. Practices must ensure that all information and communication support is provided in appropriate formats for people who have a disability, an impairment or have experienced sensory loss. The aim is for them to have access to information that can be easily understood, for example in large print, braille or translation via a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter.
By 1 September 2015, practices should:
- Prepare for implementation of the Standard, including assessing their current systems and processes, develop and commence roll out of a local implementation plan.
- Ensure implementation guidance accompanying the Standard has been read and used to inform local decision-making.
By 1 April 2016, practices are required to:
- Review how they will ensure that people will be able to receive information/communications which they can readily access and understand.
- Practices will need to be in a position to identify and record information/communication needs when patients first contact/register.
- Identify and record information/communication needs as part of ongoing contact by patients already registered
By 31 July 2016, practices will need to have done the following:
- Identified all patient information/communication needs
- Highlighted or ‘flagged’ in the person’s file or notes so it is clear that they have information or communication needs and how those needs should be met.
- Recorded the details clearly
- Flagged the patients’ notes accordingly
- Shared people’s information and communication needs with other providers of NHS and adult social care, when they have consent or permission to do so.
- Ensure people receive information they can access and understand, and receive communication support if they need
Requirements, criteria and timelines practices must follow are outlined in the specifications.
Enquiries regarding implementation of the Accessible Information Standard should
be directed to NHS England by emailing england.nhs.participation@nhs.net
Further information and documentation about the Accessible Information Standard can be found at www.england.nhs.uk/accessibleinfo
Last updated : 12 Aug 2015
London Ambulance Service Health Care Professional Admissions telephone number has changed to 020 3162 7525 (01 Apr 2016)
The London Ambulance Service (LAS) have asked us to inform our GPs and practice teams that the Health Care Professional (HCP) Admissions phone number has changed to:Provider Development Masterclasses (31 Mar 2016)
This series of day-long masterclasses aims to equip participants with relevant, practical business skills and knowledge that they can take back and use in their localities. Topics have been selected...RCGP guide to supporting information for appraisal and revalidation (30 Mar 2016)
The RCGP has approved a new guide to supporting information for appraisal and revalidation (March 2016) that aims to reduce inconsistencies in interpretation and streamline the process of providing...London GP Registration for Offenders (30 Mar 2016)
Londonwide LMCs welcomes the London GP Registration for Offenders initiative, it helps practices deal with the needs of an often vulnerable and challenging group of patients. Offenders have exactly the same rights...Patient online access for children aged 11-16 years (24 Mar 2016)
NHS England (NHSE) and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) have produced some helpful guidance about proxy access regarding Patient Online. The full guidance is available here and...Budget 2016 (17 Mar 2016)
Budget 2016 was, on the whole, fairly innocuous for health professionals. There were very few health-specific announcements (some money for children’s hospitals outside London) and a couple of measures that...New Housing Application letter and poster (17 Mar 2016)
Our new waiting room poster and template practice letter will help practice staff manage requests for letters supporting housing applications.Patient Online detailed coded record (DCR) deadline is 31 March 2016 (16 Mar 2016)
This month sees the deadline for enabling online access to patients’ detailed coded record (DCR). Practices have until 31 March 2016 to switch this on. The latest figures we...PMS contract reviews update (16 Mar 2016)
We recently issued our third PMS (Personal Medical Services) bulletin on the reviews taking place across London. Our bulletins are designed to bring you the current PMS contract review information...Guidance
We provide expert guidance for practices in our guidance section, as well as an archive of other materials you may find useful.
GP Support
Contact our GP Support team if you need help or advice.
The team provide professional and pastoral support to GPs and practice teams on a broad range of issues.