Accessible Information Standard Self-Assessment Framework Pilot Website Review
Making sure that people can access information about what health and care services are doing to be accessible for people with communication barriers.
Accessible Information Standard Self-Assessment Framework Website Pilot report
Published 19 May 2025
Written by Katie Joenn
If you would like the report in another format, please contact us on 0113 898 0035 or email the team at info@healthwatchleeds.co.uk
At Healthwatch Leeds, we believe that everyone should be able to access information about their health and care in a way that works for them.
That's why we were proud to work with Leeds City Council (Adult Social Care) and local communities to test a proposed Accessible Information Standard (AIS) Self-Assessment Framework and their host website. The framework is designed to help health and care organisations understand how well they are meeting people's information and communication needs. The AIS webpage has been developed to help inform those with additional communication needs about their rights when accessing health and social care services. This webpage is a potential platform to upload the results of the AIS self-assessments.
Healthwatch Leeds organised three focus groups with visually impaired people, deaf people and people with learning disabilities to determine the accessibility of the webpage. This report summarises the feedback and recommendations from these groups.
What is the Accessible Information Standard?
The Accessible Information Standard (AIS) is a legal requirement for all NHS and adult social care services. It ensures that people with a disability, impairment or sensory loss get information in a format that they can understand. For example, British Sign Language, easy read, large print or audio.
In 2025, a refreshed version of the Standard is being launched alongside a new self-assessment framework, which helps organisations measure and improve their compliance.
Leeds Leads the Way
Leeds was one of only two pilot areas in the country chosen to test this framework. Together with visually impaired people, deaf people and people with learning disabilities, we looked at how accessible the new AIS webpage and framework really are.
Highlights
We found that the Leeds AIS webpage is generally very accessible for screen reader users and people with visual impairments.
We found that people liked the idea of organisations publishing their AIS self-assessments to improve transparency.
People found the current documents to be too complex and full of jargon, especially for deaf people and people with learning disabilities.
Many people had never heard of the Accessible Information Standard and didn't know their rights.
Complaint services are often not accessible, especially when they only offer a phone number.
Why this matters
Everyone deserves access to health and care services that meet their communication needs. This work is a step towards making accessible information the norm, not the expectation. We are grateful to the amazing people who gave their time, knowledge and experiences to help shape this report.
Together, we can make Leeds a leader in inclusive health and care.
Read the Full Report