If you had learning difficulties, how easy would it be to attend a hospital appointment in East Kent?

Healthwatch Kent wanted to see for ourselves how someone with communication difficulties would experience an NHS Hospital appointment.

Working in partnership with East Kent Mencap, Healthwatch Kent visited all three hospitals in East Kent (William Harvey, Kent & Canterbury and QEQM).

In summary the findings informed information has been developed by the Trust, but the majority of staff that Healthwatch Kent spoke to were not aware of it, so it is not provided to patients. Not all relevant information is suitable for people with learning difficulties. The Trust’s website is not fully accessible. Healthwatch Kent only met one staff member who was aware of the Trust’s Communication booklet. At the time of our visit, Deaf patients had no way to contact the hospitals about their Outpatients appointments. The only option was on the phone. Healthwatch Kent now understand that the Trust has purchased Video Remote Interpreting and a Video Relay Service. VRS will enable d/Deaf users to contact the Trust via a link on their website. There are areas of the Accessible Information Standard that East Kent University Hospitals Trust is failing to meet. Healthwatch Kent have raised several issues relating to the buildings. The buildings are owned and managed by the Estates Department within East Kent Hospitals Trust, so a separate section relating to these issues has been put in.

Recommendations within the report refer to staff training, communication, audit of poster/banners, video interpreting and information on website should be improved.