Your care, your way: access to health and care for people with visual impairments
Download (PDF 7.37 MB)Summary of report content
Healthwatch Suffolk undertook research on access to health and care services for people living with visual impairments. They spoke to 101 people through a survey and follow-up interviews as part of the Your Care, Your Way campaign, which explored whether services were meeting the requirements of the Accessible Information Standard.
The research found that more than half of respondents had experienced a negative impact because information was not provided in an accessible format. Common problems included missing important information, being unable to contact services, difficulties understanding medication instructions and missing appointments. Many people reported receiving letters, medication information and forms in print that was too small to read, while others found NHS apps and digital systems inaccessible because they were incompatible with screen readers or difficult to navigate.
People were generally positive about the attitudes of staff and often described them as caring and helpful. However, experiences varied considerably, and many respondents felt staff lacked awareness of visual impairment. Common concerns included not being offered assistance, staff speaking to carers rather than directly to patients, inaccessible check-in systems, poor signage, a lack of audio announcements and assumptions that patients could rely on family members to read information or navigate services. Transport, technology, medication information and hospital environments were also identified as significant barriers to independence.
Healthwatch Suffolk concluded that while there were many examples of good practice, people with visual impairments continue to face avoidable obstacles when accessing healthcare. The report highlighted the need for more consistent provision of accessible information, greater awareness and training for staff, improvements to digital systems, clearer signage and navigation support, and a stronger focus on maintaining independence, privacy and equality for people living with sight loss.