People with sensory impairment face challenges and no more so then when it comes to managing health conditions with devices that are not designed for them and medicines they have difficulty using. I have been contacted by many patients with vision or hearing loss who experience difficulties with medicines and medical technology. They are unable to read instructions or warnings on patient leaflets or don’t get the information in a way that meets their needs. I have also heard of patients being unable to use some medical devices because their specific needs are not met.
That is why I have released a report examining the safety and accessibility of medicines and medical devices for those with sensory impairment and am taking steps to see our research findings lead to positive change for patients.
The research I commissioned from Professor Margaret Watson found that patients are being put at risk when using medicines and medical devices if safety is not considered upfront. That means ensuring that the views of patients are incorporated when designing and manufacturing devices and ensuring that medicines are made accessible for those with a sensory impairment.
I know from my work as a GP that some people with vision and hearing loss find it very difficult to access the right information about their care: letters are written in a font that is too small to read, assumptions are made about resources for patients or how patients can request prescriptions, and changes to treatment might happen without any engagement with patients or even details shared in an accessible way.
All these situations have been borne out in the findings from Professor Watson’s research on our behalf. People have described degrading experiences using medicines and medical devices because healthcare professionals are not sufficiently trained or have not thought through the consequences of their actions. Medicines and medical devices have not been designed with visually impaired patients in mind. Important information about prescription changes haven’t been communicated to patients, putting people at risk. A patient with visual impairment was fined after their prescription exemption certificate expired because they could not read the reminder letter. Yellow Card reporting is not made accessible to people with sensory loss and the number of Yellow Card reports about concerns on packaging is unsurprisingly very low.
Putting safety up front and preventing harm is central to my role as Patient Safety Commissioner. In October 2024 I published the Patient Safety Principles to help the healthcare system make safer decisions about the design and delivery of healthcare which include the patient’s perspective. By putting safety upfront when designing medicines and devices and their packaging, the system by which patients order, receive and use their medicines and devices and creating robust feedback loops where people can flag problems, we can reduce the risk to patients, improve patient safety and experience, and avoid harm.
The recommendations and observations that I am making in this report call for health leaders to engage with people with sensory impairments, elevating their voices to make improvements that are truly person centred. This includes better packaging for medicines and medical devices, a more effective feedback loop when problems are encountered and ring-fenced training for healthcare staff. I have also recommended for information on reasonable adjustments in health records to be made accessible for all healthcare professionals
The NHS 10-year plan emphasises a shift towards person-centred care, focusing on empowering individuals to manage their health and receive care closer to home, with a focus on prevention and digital transformation. If the aims of the NHS 10 Year plan are to be met, true person-centred care needs to be the rule, fully inclusive of all patients, including those with sensory impairment. For the two million people living with sight loss in the UK and over 18 million adults in the UK who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus, the time has come for change.
Read the full report, in a variety of accessible formats, here.