NNDM8193 - Member Debates

Tabled on 25/01/2023

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that the All Wales Standards for Accessible Communication and Information for People with Sensory Loss were introduced by the Welsh Government in 2013 to ensure that the communication needs of people with a sensory loss are met when accessing healthcare services.

2. Notes research by Royal National Institute of Blind People Cymru which shows that:

a) almost one in three (31 per cent) blind and partially sighted people have missed an appointment or had their health affected because they did not receive information that was accessible for them; and

b) over half (56 per cent) have received information about their healthcare from their GP in a format they could not read.

3. Notes research by the Royal National Institute of Deaf People which shows that 42 per cent of survey respondents (who were either deaf or had hearing loss) in Wales reported that they had difficulties contacting or booking appointments with health services.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) develop a national strategy to ensure that health services are compliant with the Standards; and

b) appoint an accessibility lead to oversee the strategy’s implementation and improve the accessibility of public information, as previously recommended by the Health and Social Care Committee and the Equality and Local Government Committee.