When anyone mentions reasonable adjustments, I immediately think of practical adjustments or changes that can be made to reduce any disability-related disadvantages. From an employer’s perspective, such adjustments are specific to individual members of the team, and perhaps knowing your team makes these adjustments easier to facilitate. But what about our patients? What are we expected to do?

We know that we must make services accessible to everybody; therefore, we might need to make reasonable adjustments to improve access, such as having a ramp at the entrance to the premises, a hearing loop in reception, providing easy-to-read letters and information leaflets, and the provision of longer appointments. Maybe it’s providing a quiet space for patients with learning disabilities and autism to wait.

Let’s take it one step further; let’s go digital. It’s time for full implementation of the Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag. This is an initiative that seems to have crept towards implementation in a stealth-like manner, yet it’s a mandatory requirement – and one of the top actions for organisations is to implement a policy.

Now, this is something I always find odd. The NHS introduce an initiative, it’s mandatory for all service providers, it comes with a checklist, how-to guides and many more resources, yet it lacks a policy! You’ll note I’ve said odd and not surprised, and that’s simply because I’m not surprised; new initiatives without policy are commonplace. Thankfully, we’ve got you covered and have produced a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag Policy [PLUS].

The Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag is a national record which indicates that reasonable adjustments are required for an individual and optionally includes details of their significant impairments, key adjustments that should be considered and details of any underlying conditions.

Compliance is to be achieved in two phases, the first being to identify, record, flag, share, meet and review reasonable adjustments at a local level. You should be working towards complying with phase one already. Phase two refers to technical integration which needs to commence by 30th June 2024, with full conformity achieved by 31st December 2025.

The policy explains what you need to do as an organisation to achieve compliance, providing links to extant guidance and legislation, whilst also offering guidance on categories and types of adjustments, consent, audit and a model that will help staff identify reasonable adjustment needs of patients.

I wonder what other stealth-like initiatives are lurking beneath the surface? Hopefully they will appear on our radar and we’ll be able to intercept and provide the resources you need.

Useful resources:

Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag Policy [PLUS]
Accessible Information Standard Policy [PLUS]
Accessible Information Standard  [Learning Package]
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Bundle [Practice Index Training]