Accessible information standard (AIS)

The Accessible Information Standard (AIS) is a new national standard that all organisations providing NHS or adult social care are required to implement.

The AIS ensures that patients, carers and parents of patients, and visitors who have a disability or sensory loss receive information they can access and understand. We strive to ensure that information is given in the appropriate format and all patient information is produced according to the accessible standards set by the UK Association for Accessible Formats. This includes:

  • large font patient letters and patient information leaflets
  • verbal and visual communication support 
  • patient information and patient letters in braille
  • email and text reminders
  • personalised communication for people with a learning disability
  • communication support using the ‘This is me’ leaflet for people who have dementia
  • hearing loops at all Moorfields sites.

If you have a specific communication need, please call the service under which you are being treated (for example glaucoma, medical retina etc.). You can find contact details on your appointment letter or on our services pages.

Accessible Information Standard patient panel

An Accessible Information Standard patient panel works alongside our AIS project group to offer advice and ideas from a patient and carer perspective. If you would like to learn more about its work or become involved please contact our patient advice and liaison service on 020 7566 2324 or 020 7566 2325.

Further information about the Accessible Information Standard is available on the NHS England website.

Further projects

We have also undertaken a range of other projects in support of the new Standard. We have:

  • installed the NHS England AIS e-learning package onto Insight (our in-house training system) to increase staff awareness 
  • assessed additional training needs for staff
  • developed system flags to identify patients and/or carers who require information in a different format
  • reviewed existing policy and practice around use of email and text messages, with the intention of using this method routinely for patient appointments in the future
  • installed a new hearing loop system at our City Road site
  • created a consistent internal process when requesting information in new formats

Keeping updated

We are continually working to improve the range of information formats we provide. This page will be updated in Spring 2017.

Last updated: 20th March 2019