​31 July marks the anniversary of the Accessible Information Standard being introduced. This has made a difference to the lives of many vulnerable people across England, including Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton. 

Any group that provides NHS health or social care services needs to take steps to ensure that all people can access the information they need to stay healthy. They need to:

• Ask people if they have any information or communication needs and find out how to meet their needs
• Record those needs in a set way
• Highlight a person’s file, so it is clear that they have information or communication needs, and clearly explain how those needs should be met
• Share information about a person’s needs with other NHS and adult social care providers, when they have consent or permission to do so
• Make sure that people get information in an accessible way and communication support if they need it

 
During the Covid-19 pandemic, services have needed to change quickly and communicate these updates to the public remotely which has presented challenges for those people with additional needs. If you or someone you know needs information provided in a different format, the following organisations have information about Covid-19:

• Sign Health have resources for people using British Sign Language (BSL) 
• Mencap have a variety of Easy read resources 
• Latest NHS guidance translated into 60 languages from Doctors of the World​
• Royal National Institute for the Blind have information for those who are blind or visually impaired 

If you’ve had issues accessing information in an accessible format, you can share your feedback with your local Healthwatch or in Healthwatch England and the Care Quality Commission's new survey so they can help improve services. Alternatively, if you would like to make a complaint, you can find out more about the NHS complaints process on their website.

We have much to celebrate in terms of our impact this past year and the journey we have been on. Some of our key highlights include:
 

• 1,300+ people shared their views and experiences to inform local Primary Care, Public Health, Cancer and Mental Health services, through our own or NHS England/Improvement engagement activities we have supported.

• We gathered the views of the most seldom heard people. For example, people with personality disorders about their experience of treatment and care, which is feeding into a significant Wessex-wide service review; and Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, people with learning disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ+) people to inform communications from GP practices about cervical screening.

• Our reports tackled a wide range of issues from support to those affected by cancer to eye care for people with learning disabilities and/or autism. All our findings have or will inform how new services are developed and provided to local people.

• This year we provided development support to 22 colleagues from across Hampshire and Isle of Wight’s health and care system via our Empowering Engagement Programme. Working on real life projects built their skills, knowledge and confidence to enable them to involve people in their work on an ongoing basis.
  

 
We’re looking forward to the year ahead and the work we have yet to undertake to bring about the cultural change with our partners, so people can receive the care and support they need most.
 ​
You can read our full report, summary version or digital version.