Health and Wellbeing Board	20 July 2022
Report of the Manager, Healthwatch York

Joint Report from Healthwatch North Yorkshire and Healthwatch York: Accessible Information Report

Summary

1. This report is for the attention and action of Board members, sharing a joint report from Healthwatch North Yorkshire and Healthwatch York providing feedback from people, especially those whose information needs are not currently being met.

Background

2. As part of plans to better support engagement across the ICS, both at Humber and North Yorkshire level, and at North Yorkshire and York level, Healthwatch North Yorkshire and Healthwatch York are beginning to work more closely together. Our first joint report, led by Healthwatch North Yorkshire, looks more closely at some of the barriers people experience in accessing health and care service. It reflects on how well local providers are meeting the Accessible Information Standard, which came into effect in August 2016. It includes survey data alongside case studies from individuals to demonstrate the impact of failing to provide information in a format people can access.

3. We also reached out to partner organisations such as MySight York to encourage more people to share their experiences with us and hear the organisation’s challenges in helping people access health and care information.

Main/Key Issues to be considered

4. Our report highlights nine principles for organisations, based on the feedback received. We strongly encourage all providers and commissioners to consider how they can embed these nine principles throughout local service delivery. We would welcome opportunities to work with organisations to develop and deliver action plans based on these principles.

Consultation

5. In producing this report, we publicised a survey for members of the public, a survey for organisations, held focus groups and had some semi-structured interviews with people affected.

Options      

a. There are a number of recommendations within this report set out on page 16. These are:

· Ask what helps and do something about it. Put the user first.

· Make Accessible Information an organisational priority from the top down and make sure everyone knows why it is important. Have understanding, committed staff championing this at all levels.

· Make sure that you ask people about their preferred format. Record this and use it to provide information in that format as standard.

· Once identified, share people’s information needs within organisations. Information about people’s needs should only need to be recorded once for people across the organisation to get it right.

· Involve people with lived experience to help find pragmatic answers.

· Provide choice. Don’t assume that everyone with a particular issue needs information in the same format or that everything is accessible. Digital is not the solution for everyone.

· Each organisation should have one contact / team who work across that organisation to find solutions to accessible information needs quickly and effectively.

· Seek and share good practice. Providing information in accessible formats isn’t always easy but lots of organisations are trying. Share progress and challenges so that things are constantly improving.

· Review what you are doing to make sure it is working and learn from what is and isn’t going well.

All partners have identified the need to understand the barriers to accessing care and removing them as essential to the transformation of local health and care through the work of the ICS at place.

        Implications

6. There are no specialist implications from this report.

· Financial

There are no financial implications in this report.

· Human Resources (HR)

There are no HR implications in this report.

· Equalities

There are equalities implications in this report, as it highlights particular challenges experienced in the main by disabled people.

· Legal

There are no legal implications in this report.

· Crime and Disorder

There are no crime and disorder implications in this report.

· Information Technology (IT)

There are no IT implications in this report.

· Property

There are no property implications in this report.

· Other

There are no other implications in this report.

        Risk Management

7. There are no risks associated with this report.

        Recommendations

8. The Health and Wellbeing Board are asked to:

i. Receive this joint report, Accessible Information

ii. Remind members of the Board to respond directly to Healthwatch York within 28 days regarding the recommendations made to their organisation.

 Reason: To keep up to date with the work of Healthwatch York

Contact Details

Author:	Chief Officer Responsible for the report:
Siân Balsom Manager Healthwatch York 01904 621133
	Report Approved	Date	Insert Date
Wards Affected:  All				All	P
For further information please contact the author of the report

Background Papers:

Annexes

Annex A – Accessible-Information-Report-June-2022.pdf (healthwatchyork.co.uk)