Access to Public Services

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Social Justice – in the Senedd at 2:01 pm on 25 January 2023.

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Photo of Jane Hutt Jane Hutt Labour 2:01, 25 January 2023

Thank you very much, Jenny. Of course, it was really important to be there at the RNIB event—and I think many others joined us—and to speak to the director of the RNIB about these very points of evidence that you've given us. But, I thought what was most important about the event was the panel of people with sight loss who gave their lived experience of accessing healthcare information. But what was also good was that we did have officials there from the Welsh Government's health equality team who also attended, and it's important that those lessons are learnt from people at the front line. So, just to assure you that we're engaging with health board communication leads through the normal course of business of delivery of services, and therefore, we're flagging up all the needs to update health guidance for health boards regarding how they contact and interact with blind patients. That's the value of that kind of interaction they had on that day.

And the all-Wales standard for accessible communication does ensure that the communication and information needs of people with sensory loss are met. So, that is a standard that now is going to be monitored much more closely, because they have a duty—it's a commitment to equalities—and the forthcoming duty of quality as well, in terms of services. But we will be taking this forward in the taskforce, as I've described their role, in terms of the disability taskforce, which is co-chaired with a disabled person, and is taking forward accessible communications particularly.