Beverly Davies, Jane Deans, Ann Marie Kennard and Kate Tamilia
Hywel Dda University Health Board
Background
Did you know? Around 15,671 people living in West Wales have a visual impairment and around 85,864 people have a hearing impairment. All health boards are required to ensure that the communication and information needs of people with sensory loss are met when accessing healthcare service.
Aims and Objectives
Main Aim:
To co-produce a user-friendly Sensory Loss Aware Self Assessment Checklist to empower staff to meet the All-Wales Standards for Accessible Communication and Information for People with Sensory Loss.
Key Objectives
- Improve patient experience when attending hospital settings.
- Empower staff to assess their working environment for accessibility and where identified, confidently introduce changes to meet the needs of people with sensory loss.
- Increase staff awareness and confidence on how to support people with sensory loss.
- Improve the recording of the communication needs of patients.
Approach
- Collaborative
- Evaluative
- Evidence base
- Outcome focused
- Staff/user friendly
- Sustainable
Outcome
The development and testing of the Sensory Loss Aware Self-Assessment Checklist. The Checklist is a self-managed, practical tool for health professionals that helps them meet the communication and information needs of people with sensory loss when accessing our services.
Impact
Increased training and staff awareness
- 10.31% increase in the number of Health Board staff completing the Sensory Loss e-learning module during Bevan Exemplar programme.
- 100% of staff participating in the pilot completed the non-mandatory NHS Sensory Loss e-learning module.
- 100% of staff participating in the pilot reported increased awareness of the Sensory Loss identifier on patient medical records.
Improved identification and recording of patient information
- The introduction of guidance information for staff on how to record information in WPAS.
- 129 patients identified and recorded with sensory loss during the Bevan Exemplar Programme.
“After using it a second time, I felt more confident, and it made the patient interaction smooth and professional. I even demonstrated the Insight App to colleagues who hadn’t used it before to help build familiarity.”
Staff
“The fact that I was offered my operation information in large print was fantastic. It’s just a pity that the appointment letters are not in big print too.”
Patient
Conclusion
The Checklist is a transformative tool for patient areas and aids health professionals to meet the communication and information needs of people with sensory loss. They feel more equipped and supported to embed an inclusive culture as part of everyday service delivery.
