Other Events:

Off the Shelf Festival of Reading and Writing

 October 2012

Website www.offtheshelf.org.uk

17th July 2009 : The launch of "Losing Patients" - A campaign by RNIB & SRSB to encourage NHS organisations to provide health communications in formats preferred by those with visual impairment and thereby provide equitable access to a health service that respects their individual dignity and no longer denies basic rights as recognised by the Disability Discrimination Act.

This was the official launch of the Losing Patients national campaign. It was jointly hosted by Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind (SRSB) and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). Latest research by RNIB reveals 72 per cent of blind and partially sighted people say they cannot read health information from their GP. Worse, that 81% say they cannot read safety or dosage instructions on their prescribed medicines and that nearly a fifth have missed an appointment with their GP because the letter was not in an accessible format.  

There was live testimony from people directly affected.NHS managers were invited to field questions and tell us why they still aren’t meeting their duty to provide accessible information. This session was run in a roving microphone style panel discussion.