The NHS has to make it as easy for disabled people to use health services as it is for people who are not disabled. This is called making reasonable adjustments.

These could be things like:

• making sure there is wheelchair access in hospitals
• providing easy read appointment letters
• giving someone a priority appointment if they find it difficult waiting in their GP surgery or hospital
• longer appointments if someone needs more time with a doctor or nurse to make sure they understand the information they are given.

Watch this film about Kareem and his mum Fazilla’s experience of reasonable adjustments and the difference it makes to them when reasonable adjustments are offered.

We have developed two resources for use by clinicians and non-clinicians supporting the COVID-19 vaccination programme. They provide top tips on communicating with people with a learning disability and autistic people and highlight the range of reasonable adjustments that should be considered to ensure that a vaccination appointment goes well.

The Misfits Theatre Company have been telling us how reasonable adjustments can help people with a learning disability and autistic people live longer and healthier lives.

Reasonable adjustments are a legal requirement to make sure health services are accessible to all disabled people.  Please watch this film to find out how a simple reasonable adjustment can make a big difference to a person’s experience of quality and access to care.

How can I help make sure these reasonable adjustments are made?

If you support someone with a learning disability please make sure they have good access to healthcare by supporting them to:

• be on the GP learning disability register
• ask their GP practice for additional information adding to their summary care record
• have the right health checks, screening and immunisations
• carry out the actions in their health action plan.

Information for health staff

We are preparing for full implementation of the Reasonable Adjustments Digital Flag; we are asking organisations to prepare to conform to requirements by phase 1 from no later than April 2024. To support this we are sharing a checklist, so organisations can ensure that processes are in place to identify, record, flag, share, meet and review and update reasonable adjustment needs on their own systems and records. There is also an accompanying good practice resource package.

The Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag Information Standard mandate applies to all health and publicly funded social care. It applies across NHS and independent providers, social care (as providers) as well as independent contractors such as GPs and dentists. It also impacts all health and care IT system suppliers.

What digital flagging means for patients

This short film is about how sharing information can help staff in health services know the right way to work with people with a learning disability and/or autism.

Another way to make sure you get the reasonable adjustments you need is by adding additional information to your summary care record.