Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to ensure that NHS bodies consistently identify and implement reasonable adjustments to communication preferences, including where patients require written communication rather than telephone contact as a result of (a) disability and (b) complex health conditions.

NHS England is working to support implementation of the revised Accessible Information Standard, published on 30 June 2025, to help ensure that the communication needs of people with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss are met in health and care provision. More information is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/accessible-information-standard/

The responsibility for monitoring compliance with the Accessible Information Standard sits with the commissioner of the service.

Information on NHS England’s approach to patient communications, including accessibility and inclusion, is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/about-nhs-digital/digital-first-messaging#accessibility-and-inclusion-is-a-priority