Sirona care & health’s accessibility team is helping organisations across Bristol to support people with learning disabilities and communication needs.
Accessible Communications and Engagement Lead, Suzannah Cook, was invited to the Bristol Equality Network to share the easy read dictionary and resources her team has created to make health information more accessible.
The dictionary comprises 50 standardised photo symbols which people with lived experience chose to ensure their communication – including leaflets, medical letters and documents – is consistent and more accessible.
These resources are being used by health and care organisations and local authorities across the UK.
People with lived experience, who co-produced the dictionary and templates, shared their feedback about why it is important for them to receive information in a way they can understand and the consequences to their health if they do not.
Edwin, from the West of England Inclusive Living (WECIL), said: “It’s important for us to receive medical information in easy read because when you’re prescribed medication it can be quite frightening for people as the side effects on the list can be very big. For a doctor to explain that very clearly and in detail can relieve a lot of stress and not cause anxiety and further issues.”
Emily, from My Community Bristol added: “I get really stressed if I can’t understand information when it’s sent to me and I have to wait to talk to my manager. Easy read would be good because I can understand it and it has accessible language.”
Robert, from WECIL, said: “Sometimes you can’t understand things, and it might be something serious about your health and there might be something wrong. It’s better if everything is in easy read with no jargon.”
Kinny Chinangwa, Disability.Inc Manager, invited Suzannah to the meeting to raise awareness of the resources. Members of the Bristol Equality Network are from a wide range of sectors across Bristol who have signed up to the Bristol Equality charter principles to improve quality and inclusion across Bristol.
?Any organisations who work with people with learning disabilities can request a copy of the easy-read dictionary by emailing sirona.communications@nhs.net
