Access to healthcare information low among sight loss patients

Blind and partially-sighted people are struggling to receive healthcare information in accessible formats, according to new research by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Scotland.

The charity has called for Scotland’s 14 health boards to ensure policies are implemented to increase access and introduce training for healthcare staff on communicating with sight loss patients.

Report author Laura Jones highlighted that patients who do not receive healthcare information in accessible formats are at risk of missing treatment or being misinformed about their needs.

‘The NHS puts great emphasis on the cost, in money and time, of missed appointments to over-burdened clinics. So, giving patients accessible information makes sense. More worryingly, as many sight loss conditions are progressive, any delays in treatment could mean unnecessary deterioration in sight,’ she said.