The following exclusions are reprinted from section 5.6 of the NHS England DCB1605 Accessible Information: Specification v 1.1 which is available in full at this link:
NHS England DCB1605 Accessible Information: Specification v 1.1
5.6.1 Key aspects determined to be out of the scope of this standard
The following aspects, which may be considered relevant to improving the accessibility of health and social care, are explicitly out of scope of this standard:
- The needs or preferences of staff, employees or contractors of the organisation (except where they are also patients or service users (or the carer or parent of a patient or service user)
- Recording of demographic data / protected characteristic strand affiliation
- Recording of information or communication requirements for statistical analysis or central reporting
- Expected standards of general health and social care communication/information (i.e. that provided to individuals without additional information or communication support needs)
- Individuals’ preferences for being communicated with in a particular way, which do not relate to disability, impairment or sensory loss, and as such would not be considered a ‘need’ or ‘requirement’ (for example a preference for communication via email, but an ability to read and understand a standard print letter)
- Individuals who may have difficulty in reading or understanding information for reasons other than a disability, impairment or sensory loss, for example due to low literacy or a learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) (as distinct from a learning disability)
- Expected standards, including the level of accessibility, of health and social care websites
- ‘Corporate’ communications produced/published by organisations which do not relate to direct patient/service user care or services, and do not directly affect individuals’ health or wellbeing
- Implementation of the Equality Act 2010 more widely, i.e. those sections that do not relate to the provision of information or communication support. This exclusion includes other forms of support which may be needed by an individual due to a disability, impairment or sensory loss (for example ramps or accommodation of an assistance dog)
- Foreign language needs/provision of information in foreign languages – i.e. people who require information in a non-English language for reasons other than disability. Note: the council will meet foreign language needs within its AIS duties
- Matters of consent and capacity, including support for decision-making, which are not related to information or communication support
- Standards for, and design of, signage
