Joint press release from The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and Scarborough Blind and Partially Sighted Society
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For immediate release September 2010.
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Event in Scarborough on September 17 2010.
NHS: unfair treatment
Blind and partially sighted people from across Scarborough and Whitby believe they are being treated unfairly by the NHS when compared to other patients and their safety, confidentiality and reading choices are routinely compromised.
People like Buff Tappendern-Rowell, 38, who is registered blind. Mother of two Buff from Burniston near Scarborough can't read standard print. She can read large print or email with the help of magnification.
Buff requires regular MRI scans to monitor a brain tumour that is causing her to lose her sight. Despite knowing she is blind, the hospital writes letters to Buff in standard print that she can't read.
Requests ignored
Buff's requests to the NHS for information she can read have been ignored.
She said: "It feels like having a kick in the teeth when the low vision eye clinic writes to me in standard size print. Surely they know I can't see well enough to read their letters? Does somebody at our local NHS think it's wrong to want to have the right to read your own confidential health information?
"I think blind and partially sighted patients are being treated unfairly. I feel angry and frustrated because I believe they could help if they wanted to.
"My water company and my children's school send me information in large print. So why can't the NHS do the same?
"I'm not asking for the moon or anything different from what other patients receive."
RNIB research
RNIB research shows 95 per cent of blind and partially sighted people said they are never asked and rarely receive confidential information from NHS staff in large print, email, Braille or audio formats they can read.
99 per of blind and partially sighted people surveyed did not want health information read to them by a carer or relative.
A way forward?
Scarborough Blind and Partially Sighted Society have joined forces with RNIB to jointly host an event on September 17.
Blind and partially sighted people, NHS representatives, local politicians and other stakeholders have been invited to discuss problems and ways to find solutions.
Roy Ruddick, RNIB's Campaign Officer for Yorkshire and Humber said: "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.
"Health service providers are under an obligation to provide patients with equal access to health information. The majority of them are failing to meet that obligation."
Health service providers failing to provide accessible information are likely to be in breach of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995. The Equalities Act which comes into effect in October this year will strengthen current disability law.
Confidential information
Viv Wright, Chief Officer from Scarborough Blind and Partially Sighted Society that represents around 400 people said: "Sadly we know only too well how blind and partially sighted people who we support are not receiving confidential health information from the NHS in formats they can read.
"This is unfair clearly unreasonable and a situation that should not be allowed to continue. We are delighted to extend our full support to and be working with RNIB's 'Losing Patients' Campaign."
Further research from RNIB's Losing Patients campaign also 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.
Buff added: "A few years ago I couldn't read my babies development charts because the print was too small. The Health Visitor I had at the time recognising my problem took it upon herself to enlarge the print so I could read the charts and independently monitor my baby's progress.
"The NHS in our area should be communicating with blind and partially sighted patients in their preferred reading format. My Health Visitor did it for me because I believe she recognised the NHS was wrong not to do so".
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.
Ends
For further media information please contact Bill Alker, RNIB Press Office on 020 7391 2223 (out of hours mobile: 07968 482812).
Event details
1.30 - 3.00pm Friday 17 September 2010 - Concert Room, Central Library, Vernon Road, Scarborough, YO11 2NN.
Research details
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
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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.
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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.
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72 per cent reported the information they received from their GP was not in an accessible format.
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22 per cent said they had missed an appointment because the appointment letter was not in an accessible format.
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Only one per cent of blind and partially sighted people said they wanted written information given via a carer or relative (99 per cent didn't}.
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28 per cent of health professionals wrongly thought blind and partially sighted people wanted information in this way.
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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
Viv Wright, Chief Officer - Scarborough Blind and Partially Sighted Society on: 01723 354417. 181-183 Dean Road, Scarborough, YO12 7JH.
Roy Ruddick, RNIB Regional Campaigns Officer - Yorkshire, Humber & North East on: 0113 386 2808 or roy.ruddick@rnib.org.uk
RNIB is the largest charity in the UK supporting people with a sight problem. RNIB Helpline 0303 123 9999.
For more information on RNIB's Losing Patients campaign visit, http://www.rnib.org.uk/losingpatients>
End of news release