Set out in the Equality Act 2010 all health and care services have a legal duty to ensure that they adapt and support people with disabilities to be able to access services in a way that they are accessible for everyone else. This includes people with a physical disability, sensory disability, learning disability or a long term condition such as dementia.
The changes they make are called reasonable adjustments. Reasonable adjustments can sometimes be very small changes such as a longer appointment time or providing information in an accessible format such as easy read. They may mean adaptions to their building such as fitting a ramp, lift or tactile signage. But they could also be quite complex and require significant planning across health and care teams.
By identifying the need and providing reasonable adjustments in a timely and effective manner it can lead to improved outcomes and experiences for patients and health and care staff.
The Reasonable Adjustment Campaign has been developed by the North East & Cumbria Learning Disability Network. It’s aims are to:
- Raise awareness of people’s rights to reasonable adjustments
- Raise awareness of the legal obligation of health & care services to provide reasonable adjustments
- Support health & care services to provide reasonable adjustments
- Support health & care services to document and share reasonable adjustments
Please click on the links below to find more information and resources to support you.
https://necldnetwork.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/RA_A4_poster_easy_read.pdf
https://necldnetwork.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/RA_A4_poster_PWLD.pdf
https://necldnetwork.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/RA_A4_poster_easy_read_AHC.pdf
https://necldnetwork.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/RA_A4_posters_02-Top-Tips-people-families.pdf