We are trialling easy-read medication leaflets and videos to see if they help people with learning disabilities to access health information.
The one-page leaflet includes a personalised guide explaining how to take the medication, and a video version of the medical information.
These resources have been created by Chris Brown, Community Learning Disability Nurse, and Accessibility Lead Suzannah Cook. If the trial is successful, they hope these will be shared with people with learning disabilities in the community who are prescribed new or ongoing medication.
Suzannah worked with Chris to create the leaflets due to feedback she had while co-producing an easy-read dictionary with health partners and people with learning disabilities last year.
She said: “Feedback showed people wanted simpler information to enable them to understand how to take medications and manage conditions. We hope the easy-read leaflets will make medical information more accessible for everyone.”
Chris Brown, Community Nurse with Sirona’s Adult Learning Disability Health Service, said: “I have worked with many people with a learning disability who say they find it challenging to understand medical information. As result, they find it difficult to understand the importance of the medication and forget to take it.
“We thought a bank of one page, standardised easy-read resources with accompanying videos would support people to take their medications and improve their health and wellbeing.”
Suzannah visited Paul’s Place, in Bristol, and the West of England Centre for Inclusive Living (WECIL) to present the resources to people with learning disabilities and ask for their feedback.
Sheila Hewitt, Safeguarding Manager of Paul’s Place which enhances life for disabled adults, said: “Everyone really enjoyed being asked to be part of this work.”
Jessie Heather, Participation Co-ordinator at WECIL, said: “We are delighted to be promoting easy-read as an essential communication tool for people in our communities. This work is vital and is helping to raise awareness and encourage services to work together to make information more accessible.”
Under the Equality Act 2010, health and care services must make reasonable adjustments to ensure disabled people, including those with long-term conditions or learning disabilities, can access services as easily as non-disabled people.
The easy-read dictionary was launched last spring and comprises 50 standardised photo symbols which were chosen by people with learning disabilities.
These resources are used by organisations to ensure leaflets, medical letters and documents are consistent and accessible for people with learning disabilities.
Any organisations who work with people with learning disabilities can request a copy of the easy-read dictionary by emailing sirona.communications@nhs.net
