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What can I do to get accessible health and care information?

English Cymraeg
A woman sat while using a tablet computer.

A woman sat while using a tablet computer.

Accessible health and care information allows people with sight loss to manage their health and care with the same level of independence and privacy as everyone else.

Across the UK we’re campaigning for accessible health and social care information. Find out what we’re doing in your part of the UK, read more about your rights to accessible information, and how you can support the campaign.

RNIB accessible health and care information guide

Find out how to request accessible information from your NHS or social care provider, and how to complain if you don't receive it. We have guides available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Accessible NHS and social care information in England

Your rights

In England, the NHS Accessible Information Standard makes clear how NHS and social care services should provide accessible information to patients with communication needs.

By following the Standard, health and care providers will also be meeting their duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make “reasonable adjustments” to provide accessible information to disabled people.

This means that if you are blind or partially sighted, you can request health and care information in your required format, such as large print, email, audio or braille.

NHS England is due to publish an updated Accessible Information Standard in October 2023. This will aim to address some of the problems with the Standard’s implementation by health and care services, since it was first introduced in 2016.

How to request accessible NHS and social care information 

We've put together a guide to help you request accessible health and care information, including steps you can take if you don’t receive it.

Download the RNIB Accessible Health and Care Information Guide

To receive the information sheet in your required format, email [email protected] or speak to the RNIB Sight Loss Advice Service on 0303 123 9999.

NHS England’s review of the Accessible Information Standard

In 2022 NHS England held a review of the Standard – and we asked people to share their experiences to help us influence this review. You can read the results in our joint report.

Accessible health and social care information in Northern Ireland

Your rights

Everyone in Northern Ireland, has the right to receive information in a format that they can access and understand.  The duty to make reasonable adjustments is contained in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. In Northern Ireland, Health and Social Care organisations are also bound by the “Quality Standards for Health and Social Care” (Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety 2006). This requires them to consider the diverse needs of the public, services users, carers and staff alike, in any information and communication.

Five standards were also introduced in the publication “Improving the Patient & Client Experience” (Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council for Nursing and Midwifery, Royal College of Nursing 2008).

One of those was the Communication Standard, which was defined as: “all health and social care staff communicate in a way which is sensitive to the needs and preferences of patients and clients.”

Additionally, there is a legal requirement under the Human Rights Act 1998; Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998; Race Relations Order 1997; the Disability Discrimination Order 2006 and the Health and Social Services (Reform) Northern Ireland Act 2009, to ensure that health and social care, make their services, including information, accessible.

How to request accessible social care information

We've put together a guide to help you request accessible health and care information, including steps you can take if you don’t receive it.

Download the RNIB Accessible Health and Care Information Guide

To receive the guide in your required format, email [email protected] or speak to the RNIB Sight Loss Advice Service on 0303 123 9999.

Accessible NHS and social care information in Wales

Your rights

Everyone in the UK has the right to receive information in a format that they can access and understand.  The Equality Act 2010 applies if you live in Wales. This requires service providers, which include health and social care services, to make reasonable adjustments. This includes the provision of information in alternative formats.

In Wales the ‘All Wales Standards for Accessible Communication and Information for People with Sensory Loss' were introduced in 2013. The All Wales Standards require all written communication, such appointment letters, to be provided to people with sensory loss in accessible formats.

How to request accessible NHS and social care information 

We've put together a guide to help you request accessible health and care information, including steps you can take if you don’t receive it.

Download the RNIB Cymru Accessible Health and Care Guide 

To receive the guide in your required format, email [email protected]or speak to the RNIB Sight Loss Advice Service on 0303 123 9999.

Share your experience

If you’re blind or partially sighted, you can help us speak up about the importance of accessible health and care information by sharing your experience, whether good or bad. Please fill in our short survey in English or Welsh.

English version: Share your experience accessing NHS and Social Care Information

Welsh version

RNIB Cymru’s Make it Make Sense campaign 

We have launched our ‘Make it Make Sense’ report and campaign. This work highlights the impact that inaccessible health information has on blind and partially sighted people in Wales and presents a number of recommendations for Welsh Government and NHS Wales.

You can read our report in English by clicking this link: RNIB Make it Make Sense report English

You can read our report in Welsh by clicking this link: RNIB Make it Make Sense report Welsh

If you have any questions about the campaign, please contact Liz Williams, Policy and Public Affairs Manager by emailing [email protected]

Accessible NHS and social care information in Scotland

Your rights

Background: Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011

In March 2011, the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 aims to improve patients' experiences of using health services and to support people to become more involved in their health and health care.

The Act included the statement ‘Communication about a patient’s health and wellbeing is clear accessible and understood.’

A Charter of Patient Rights and Responsibilities accompanied the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 which summarised the existing rights and responsibilities of patients using the NHS in Scotland. This included ‘You have the right to be given information about your care and treatment in a format or language that meets your needs (for example in audio format, British Sign Language or in a language other than English).’

NHS Health Scotland’s ‘Access for All 2016’ is a clear example of the sector taking responsibility to help people manage their own health and wellbeing by recognising that they need to provide high-quality accessible health information.

‘Access for All 2016’ states ‘If we produce content that is inaccessible we are discriminating against this group of users. Risk: Inaccessible content risks falling short of legal obligations provided by the Equality Act 2010.’

What does the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act include?


The Act gives all patients the right that the health care they receive will:

  • Consider their needs
  • Consider what would most benefit their health and wellbeing
  • Encourage them to take part in decisions about their health and wellbeing and provide them with the information and support to do so.

What do NHS providers need to do?

  • NHS providers are supposed to have identified and recorded how their patients need to be communicated with. This is the case whether you are visiting them for the first time, or a regular user of their service.
  • Patients should receive information in a format they can read.

How to request accessible NHS and Social care information 

We've put together a guide to help you request accessible health and care information, including steps you can take if you don’t receive it.

Download the RNIB Accessible Health and Care Information Guide

To receive the information sheet in your required format, email [email protected] or speak to the RNIB Sight Loss Advice Service on 0303 123 9999.

Resources for health and care professionals

Read our information and resources for health and care professionals, to support the implementation of accessible information for blind and partially sighted patients and service users.

The website https://www.eyes.scot  has also a wealth of eye health information and resources aimed at the public, professionals and organisations.

Communication failure report 

A review of the accessibility of health information for blind and partially sighted people in Scotland. Published 2020.

Share your experience

You can help us speak up about the importance of accessible health and social care information by sharing your experience, whether good or bad.

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Resources for health and care professionals

We have information and resources for health and care professionals, to support implementation of accessible information for blind and partially sighted patients and service users.

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