What are reasonable adjustments?
The Equality Act 2010 says all health and care organisations must make changes to their services so they can be accessible to people with disabilities. This includes people with a physical disability or a sensory disability, people with a learning disability or autistic people and people with a long term condition such as dementia.
Reasonable adjustments can sometimes be small changes such as:
- Providing information in an easy read format
- Installing a ramp
- Providing a longer appointment time
Reasonable adjustments can also be quite complicated to arrange and sometimes need lots of planning across health and care teams for people who have complex needs.
Reasonable adjustments are individual and should be tailored to the person. It’s really important to speak to your health and care professionals and tell them about the reasonable adjustments you may or your loved one may need.
The North East & Cumbria Learning Disability Network have developed a range of resources to support people with a learning disability and autistic people to help communicate what reasonable adjustments they might need to their health or care professionals.
You can find the resources and more information about reasonable adjustments by going to www.necldnetwork.co.uk/work-programmes/reasonableadjustments
Do you know how to ask for reasonable adjustments?
People with disabilities should tell health and care services what reasonable adjustments they might need to support them to access services.
You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments by visiting www.necldnetwork.co.uk/work-programmes/reasonableadjustments
Top Tips for patients and carers
The Equality Act 2010 says, health and care organisations must be accessible for people with disabilities.
This includes people with a physical disability, a sensory disability, people with a learning disability, autistic people and people with a long-term health problem such as dementia.
Reasonable adjustments help to make services accessible. They can be small changes:
- A ramp
- Letters in easy read
- A quiet room for people to wait in
- A longer appointment
Some reasonable adjustments can be complicated. They can need a lot of planning for people with more needs. Other reasonable adjustments can be very simple but make a big difference to the person. Reasonable adjustments are individual to the person.
Top tips for people who need reasonable adjustments:
- Think about what reasonable adjustments you need, write them down. You can use the card: https://bit.ly/4dm4v1L (EXTERNAL PDF LINK)
- Ask for your reasonable adjustments when making a health or care appointment.
- Ask for your reasonable adjustments to be recorded and flagged.
- Use the words ‘I need reasonable adjustments’ when asking for them. Then explain what they are or what is difficult.
- Give consent for your reasonable adjustments information to be shared with other health and care staff.
- If you are told you cannot have reasonable adjustments, ask why. You can challenge the decision.
- Check the reasonable adjustments you need are recorded, flagged and up to date.
For more information about the North East North Cumbria please go to https://bit.ly/3oZTpeG