Accessible Information Standard (AIS)
Page Contents
Introduction
The Accessible Information Standard applies to all organisations that provide NHS or adult social care services, including practices. It became a legal requirement from the 1st April 2016 under Section 250 of the Health & Social Care Act 2012 and providers were required to have complied by July 2016.
To comply with the standard practices must ensure patients and carers with a disability, impairment or sensory loss can:
- Get information they can access and understand
- Receive any communication support they need
To support practices to achieve this a free Lunch & Learn package has been and can be accessed by clicking here.
In connection to the Lunch & Learn package the following are resources that practices may wish to use:
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- Registration Form Adult – includes a question on communication needs
- Registration Form Adult 3 Large Print
- Registration form children – includes a question on communication needs
- Registration form children 3 Large Print
To help keep information up to date and to collect information from your existing patients, it is useful to include the ‘Communication needs’ on any forms you use.
You could also ask patients on your website, newsletters, waiting room, patient information leaflet etc to let you know if they have any communication needs.
NHS England have issued guidance on the Accessible Information Standard – the Lunch & Learn package provides an overview.
Helpful Resources
Making online public services accessible
NHSE Accessible Information Standard
Communicating with people with learning disabilities
For guidance on interpreting and translation services, click here: wessexlmcs.com/interpreting-and-translation-services
You can print off lots of leaflets from this website in easy read format:
You can print off leaflets about cancer in easy read format here:
http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Otherformats/Easyread/Easyreadinformation.aspx
The GMC have information on different forms of communication here:
e-Learning
“The Accessible Information Standard – Introduction to Implementation and Towards Excellence” is available from the e-learning for health website
New Accessible Information Standard Online Forum
The Patient Information Forum (PIF), supported by NHS England, launched an online group to support organisations with following the Accessible Information Standard. The group is free to join, and is for anyone involved in implementing the Accessible Information Standard, or producing and providing accessible health and care information.
You can join the PIF accessible information group here