Disability Equality
NHS Grampian is a leader in disability equality in the health care field in Scotland. Disability work within NHS Grampian is driven forward by the NHS Grampian Disability Discrimination Act Review Group (DDARG). This is a multi-disciplinary group, where the majority of members are disabled people or representatives of disability organisations. There are many different types of disability and the DDARG are careful to consider the full spectrum of needs.
Communication
Communication is the number one priority and is of vital importance to give disabled people and elderly people equality of access to healthcare information and thereby healthcare. The work NHS Grampian has carried out to promote communication and meet information needs is shown below.
Information in other formats
All NHS Grampian leaflets, booklets and other published material already contains information at the front of who to contact if you wish to have the item provided in another language or format. This information is provided in minimum font size 14 or larger. All requests for NHS Grampian information in other formats such as large print, audio and Braille, etc, are met promptly.
Information for patients with a sight problem
Most people with a sight problem can read written material, without adaptation, if it is clearly written. All new information leaflets, booklets and NHS Grampian published material complies with the requirements of the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) "Good Practice Guidelines", as contained in the RNIB publication: "See it right, making information accessible for people with sight problems".
For example:
- all material is in minimum font size 12, in a sans serif font
- there is a good colour contrast between the print and the background
- text is justified left
- where possible, materials intended for the public should have a Flesch ease of Reading score of 50 or more
Pictorial/Accessible Material
The NHS Grampian Accessible/Pictorial Information Sub Group was created in 2007/08. The DDARG felt that a wider range of accessible/pictorial material was required, especially for people with a learning disabilities or aphasia. The Sub Group are responsible for the production of accessible/pictorial material. They also provide a Quality Control function. NHS Grampian has standardised on Boardmaker, supplemented by high quality photographs.
The Sub Group also provide advice and support to staff wishing to produce pictorial/accessible material. It is led by a Speech and Language Therapist who is a specialist in this field.
Patients who use a Hearing Aid or are hard of hearing
NHS Grampian has purchased and issued over 250 Portable Induction Loops (PILs) throughout NHS Grampian. These have been issued to areas where there are known to be elderly patients and patients with hearing disabilities, as well as GP Practices, Hospital wards and Outpatient Departments. Full training and support has been provided for the staff in each area where a PIL has been issued. PILs are still being issued on a regular basis. NHS Grampian also holds in stock a range of Personal Listener equipment for patients.
Patients and relatives who are Deaf
There are four qualified BSL interpreters living in Grampian. NHS Grampian has a Service Level Agreement with all of these interpreters and use their services when a Deaf patient attends for hospital care either as an outpatient, day case or in-patient.
To supplement the "face to face" BSL interpreters, NHS Grampian introduced Video Link BSL in February 2018. This is a supplement, it does not replace "face to face" BSL interpreters.
Annual "Introduction to BSL" Courses and BSL SVQ courses are also provided for staff.
British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015
The NHS Grampian British Sign Language Plan is found elsewhere in this website.
Patients who are Deaf and Blind
There is one BSL interpreter in Grampian who is also a Deaf blind Communicator.
Physical Access to Buildings
NHS Grampian makes extensive use of the five Disability Access Panels in Grampian to carry out Disability access Audits in our premises. All of our new buildings are disability compliant. In addition, NHS Grampian spends over £250,000 each year on adapting older buildings to improve disability access.
The disability equality work of NHS Grampian is detailed in the NHS Grampian Equality Outcomes and "Mainstreaming" Reports. Information on disability equality within NHS Grampian is found in the Equality and Diversity Workforce Monitoring Report. The most up to date versions of these reports are available elsewhere on this website.
The “Disability Confident” Scheme
NHS Grampian has been a member of the “Disability Confident” Employment Scheme for over 5 years and has met the stringent selection criteria set for employers. Find out more.
Age Equality
Many types of disability are directly associated with the ageing process. Accordingly, the needs of elderly patients are addressed as an integral part of the work of the NHS Grampian Disability Discrimination Act Review Group (DDARG), as detailed above. The DDARG membership includes representatives from a number of age related organisations.
Within NHS Grampian, measures have been put in place to ensure full compliance with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. The legislation made it illegal to discriminate in employment on the grounds of age when:
- Employing staff
- Promoting staff
- Offering staff training opportunities
- Dismissal of staff