Accessible Information Standards

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What are the Accessible Information Standard?

The Accessible Information Standard (AIS) aims to make health and social care information accessible to those with additional communication needs.

From 1 August 2016 onwards, all organisations that provide NHS care and/or publicly-funded adult social care are legally required to follow the Accessible Information Standard. The Standard sets out a specific, consistent approach to identifying, recording, flagging, sharing and meeting the information and communication support needs of patients, service users, carers and parents with a disability, impairment or sensory loss.

Find out more about AIS


The AIS Working Group

The AIS Working Group is funded by the Health Inequalities programme, and is committed to implementing AIS across the partnership. They are currently focused on four priority areas:

1. Access to BSL and other interpreting services

2. Accessible communications

3. Deaf awareness and training

4. Use of flagging systems in primary care

The AIS Working Group includes representatives for clinical pathway leads, primary care, Public Health, Healthwatch Redbridge, NEL ICB Comms, Sensory Specialists, other council services and secondary care to plan and implement improvements. The programme will be implemented in two phases, with Phase 1 focusing on Deaf residents and BSL users, and Phase 2 expanding this to residents with learning difficulties and other sensory needs.





What are the Accessible Information Standard?

The Accessible Information Standard (AIS) aims to make health and social care information accessible to those with additional communication needs.

From 1 August 2016 onwards, all organisations that provide NHS care and/or publicly-funded adult social care are legally required to follow the Accessible Information Standard. The Standard sets out a specific, consistent approach to identifying, recording, flagging, sharing and meeting the information and communication support needs of patients, service users, carers and parents with a disability, impairment or sensory loss.

Find out more about AIS


The AIS Working Group

The AIS Working Group is funded by the Health Inequalities programme, and is committed to implementing AIS across the partnership. They are currently focused on four priority areas:

1. Access to BSL and other interpreting services

2. Accessible communications

3. Deaf awareness and training

4. Use of flagging systems in primary care

The AIS Working Group includes representatives for clinical pathway leads, primary care, Public Health, Healthwatch Redbridge, NEL ICB Comms, Sensory Specialists, other council services and secondary care to plan and implement improvements. The programme will be implemented in two phases, with Phase 1 focusing on Deaf residents and BSL users, and Phase 2 expanding this to residents with learning difficulties and other sensory needs.




  • Deaf awareness training offer

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    The AIS Working Group are scoping suitable training offers for across the partnership. We have commissioned a Deaf Awareness lunch and learn session from Sign Solutions.

    Anyone can access 2 NHS NEL AIS training modules to improve their understanding of this work.


  • Update on interpreting services

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    LBR have committed to implementing Sign Solutions, a service that enables Deaf people to access on demand and pre-booked, qualified NRCPD British Sign Language interpreters, and other communication professionals, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

    The AIS working group are exploring opportunities to share this service across primary and secondary care.


  • Healthy Redbridge BSL sessions

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    The Redbridge Council Public Health team have delivered a series of 6 engagement sessions with Deaf residents, collaborating with Sensory Specialists who specifically work with Deaf service users. The themes of the 6 sessions were:

    1. Mental health, vaccinations and COVID-19 (28/02/23)
    2. Getting active (28/03/23)
    3. Cancer and screening programmes (25/04/23)
    4. Diabetes and healthy eating (30/05/23)
    5. Sexual and reproductive health (27/06/23)
    6. Smoking and alcohol (25/07/23)


  • AIS Workshop

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    On 20th June 2023, the AIS Working Group held a 3 hour workshop at Redbridge Town Hall. The purpose of the workshop was to allow partners and residents to share ideas, give feedback and assist in establishing tangible actions to improve accessibility for our Deaf residents. The outcomes are linked on this page under useful documents.

    The workshop was attended by representatives of:

    1. Public Health (LBR)
    2. Healthwatch Redbridge
    3. Customer Contact Centre (LBR)
    4. Primary Care Transformation (NHS NEL)
    5. Barts Health NHS Trust
    6. SEN Services (LBR)
    7. Vision Redbridge Culture and Leisure
    8. Contracts and Procurement (LBR)
    9. Procurement (PS Procure)
Page last updated: 07 Sep 2023, 09:24 AM