BackThe Ombudsman said listening to patients and service users is essential to preventing harm, but too often disabled people’s voices are not being heard because information is not provided in formats they can access.
Disabled people are at risk of not getting the vital information they need to make informed decisions about their healthcare, finances or employment, because some services failed to provide accessible formats such as audio materials or British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters. The Ombudsman’s investigations, detailed in a new report, Spotlight on accessible communication: your stories, your rights, found instances where disabled people did not receive information in accessible formats such as audio materials or British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters, leaving them confused, distressed, and financially worse off as a result.
The report highlights the importance of public services providing effective, accessible communication, which is a central theme of the Ombudsman’s new long-term strategy published earlier this year.
Rebecca Hilsenrath KC (Hon), Chief Executive at PHSO said:
“Good communication is fundamental to safe and effective public services. Yet for too many people, public services are falling short.
“When people feel they are not listened to and that their needs are not met, they lose trust in the very services designed to support them.
“At worst, failures in communication can make services unsafe and cause serious harm if people are unable to understand information and advocate for themselves.
“Public services have a duty to communicate clearly in a range of formats to meet the needs of people who use their services. This must be consistently built into service delivery. Organisations must listen to people who use their services and make improvements so that services are inclusive, safe and effective for everyone.”
One case shows how a disabled man missed out on £5,600 in employment grants because HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) failed to return his calls for over a year.
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Source: Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, UK
