Cast your mind back to 2018; there was a lot of talk about regulations, particularly the GDPR (the thought of that makes me shudder!), which came into force in May 2018 and was given much publicity. From me in particular there were policies, e-learning packages, blogs, vlogs and a podcast too! Little did I realise that in the same year The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 were being written and that they would also come into force in 2018 (23^rd September to be precise).

Now before you sigh, roll your eyes or stop reading and look for something more interesting to do, you need to know you’ve got a deadline to meet! Please do read on as there may be things you need to do to achieve compliance with the regulations. The accessibility regulations are aimed at making sure your website and/or mobile app is accessible to all service users, their carers and families. Broadly speaking, this means your website and app need to be accessible to as many people as possible, including those with cognitive impairments, learning disabilities, motor difficulties, impaired vision, deafness or impaired hearing. It isn’t just about adding things to your websites or apps, but about making them clear and easy to use and also affording users the opportunity to adapt elements of the website/app as required. Take a look at this video to learn more.

So, what do I need to do to meet yet another regulation, I hear you ask? The answer could be nothing! Your website or app will be compliant if:

1. It meets the international WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards – that’s the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
2. You publish on your site an accessibility statement that explains how accessible your site or app is

On the other hand, you may need to do some work to make sure your website/app is perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. Maybe now you’re scratching your head, thinking what is he talking about?! In layman’s terms that means adhering to the four design principles outlined in the WCAG 2.1, which state that users of websites and apps might:

1. Use a keyboard instead of a mouse
2. Need to change browser settings to make content easier to read
3. Use a screen reader to ‘read’ (speak) content out loud
4. Use a screen magnifier to enlarge part or all of the screen
5. Use voice commands to navigate a website

A lot to consider! And it could be time-consuming too so, knowing how valuable time is in general practice, you may be feeling frustrated that I’ve introduced this subject at all. Have no fear, you can run a simple check yourself as opposed to paying a third party thousands of pounds to do it for you. On your website or app, you may have an accessibility statement which was added by your website host, but for others, it may not be the case. Don’t worry, there’s a tool you can use which tests accessibility called WAVE; you may need to use the WAVE Browser Extensions to evaluate your website/app. This handy tool gives a summary about your website, detailing those areas that may not be compliant.

If there are issues then you can speak to your website/app hosts and ask them to plan, prioritise and fix the issues you’ve found. There are things you don’t need to fix (phew!) as they’re exempt from the accessibility regulations; have a look here for more information on the exemptions.

So, you now know why you need to comply with the regulations, you’ve learnt (briefly) how to check your website for accessibility issues, and you’ll know if you need to make a plan to fix any issues you’ve found. Time to sit back and relax with a coffee? Not quite, my friends. You’ll now need to publish an accessibility statement and all of this needs to be done before 23^rd September 2020 for websites and 23^rd June 2021 for apps!

If you’re one of the practices whose website already has an accessibility statement embedded, then it’s indeed time for a coffee (lucky you!). For those of you who have some work to do, you start on assessing your website and I’ll begin work on a generic accessibility statement which can be adapted and used by practices. Job done, legal duty met, happy days.

The accessibility statement is now available here to PLUS members.[PLUS]