Blind and partially sighted patients in Stoke fight for NHS information they can read

Event in Stoke on Trent on 9 July at Hanley Library from 2.30pm to 3.30pm.

Large print prescriptions

Hazel Kelly, 47 from Tunstall, Stoke on Trent is partially sighted and lives alone. Due to her sight condition getting worse she can't read or fill in prescription forms. After 12 months trying to persuade her GP's surgery to supply her with large print prescriptions and putting her health at risk by avoiding collecting them, she has moved to another GP's surgery.

2 weeks ago the previous surgery told her she should find somebody to help her access the prescriptions and it wasn't possible for them to enlarge forms

In the last week her new GP has arranged for her to collect prescriptions without filling in a form. Hazel who appreciates the help she's had from the new surgery, still wants her prescription forms and all other confidential health letters to be sent to her in large print, font size 20. She currently has a letter from the hospital's eye clinic that she can't read independently.

Losing Patients

Hazel who is supporting RNIB's Losing Patients campaign as it visits Stoke on Trent on 9 July, wants to know: "Why after one year of asking for large print from my previous GP's surgery they couldn't help. She said: "I'm grateful for the help that I've had from my new GP but to keep my independence I would prefer to have prescription forms in font size 20. I'm calling on the PCT to send all my confidential health information in font size 20. I can't, for example, read the latest hospital appointment letter that I received from the eye clinic."

She added: "I'm doing this to support RNIB's Losing Patients campaign and to assist and encourage other blind and partially sighted people in Stoke who are experiencing similar problems to do the same."

Hanley Central Library

At Hanley Central Library, Hanley Stoke on Trent (2.30pm to 3.30pm) RNIB working with Stoke on Trent's Action for Blind People have organised a face to face meeting with representatives from Stoke PCT, RNIB and Action for Blind People and blind and partially sighed people who feel they are being treated differently and unfairly when compared to other patients. Blind and partially sighted patients believe their safety, confidentiality and choices are being compromised because the NHS is falling to provide them with information they can read.

Other patients whose first language isn't English can correctly receive information in a choice of 175 languages, but patients like Hazel Kelly who request large print and others who require information in braille email or audio discs are routinely not receiving those formats.

NHS failing patients

Rebecca Swift, RNIB's Campaign Officer covering Stoke on Trent said: "RNIB's research shows the NHS is failing people like Hazel and is treating them less fairly then other patients. Within the NHS the needs of patients who speak other languages are quite correctly taken seriously. The same can't be said of people whose sight problems don't allow them to read standard print."

Research by RNIB shows 95 per cent of blind and partially sighted people from across the country are never asked and rarely receive confidential information from NHS staff in large print, email and Braille or other formats they can read, says research from RNIB.

99 per cent of blind and partially sighted people surveyed by RNIB didn't want their health information read to them by a carer or relative - only 1 per cent said they did.

Further research from RNIB's 'Losing Patients' campaign found that, 72 per cent of blind and partially sighted people said they are unable to read information from their GP. 81 per cent are unable to read medicine instructions and safety
notices.

Disability Discrimination Act

Health service providers failing to provide accessible information are likely to be in breach of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995.

RNIB will work with local associations from across the country to support blind and partially sighted people to help them to find out about their legal rights in this area and to feel empowered to ask for information in a format they can read.

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For further media information please contact Bill Alker at RNIB Press Office on 020 7391 2223 (out of hours mobile: 07968 482812).

Venue for event - Friday 09 July from 2.30pm to 3.30pm approx at Hanley Central Library, Hanley Stoke on Trent.

The research

RNIB commissioned Dr Foster to investigate the experiences of 600 blind and partially sighted people across the UK who had used NHS services in the last twelve months. The study also investigated the views of healthcare professionals in both primary and secondary care. Dr Foster conducted the study between July and November 2008. The Losing Patients campaign is based on the findings of this research.

Headline findings

• 95 per cent of blind and partially sighted people said they were not asked by NHS staff what format they required when they were given information.

• 81 per cent said they did not get information about their prescribed medicines, such as dosage instructions and warnings, in a format they could read.
• 72 per cent reported the information they received from their GP was not in an accessible format.
• 22 per cent said they had missed an appointment because the appointment letter was not in an accessible format.
• Only one per cent of blind and partially sighted people said they wanted written information given via a carer or relative but 28 per cent of health professionals wrongly thought blind and partially sighted people wanted information in this way.
• 73 per cent of healthcare professionals either said their organisation does not have a clear policy on the provision of accessible information or they did not know if it did.

Further notes to editors:

For more information on RNIB's Losing Patients campaign visit,

http://www.rnib.org.uk/losingpatients

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