Ensuring accessible information in pharmacies
People experiencing sight loss have been telling us that they struggle with medication due to small print labels, braille being covered up by a label, having to rely on verbal explanation at the counter, and more. We reached out to our colleagues from Community Pharmacy to ask for clarification on your rights and have some advice for you in this blog.
What have we heard
We have heard feedback from people across Hampshire about how accessibility challenges can translate into real or perceived safety risks, particularly for people with sight loss who are managing their own care. Experiences across local pharmacies showed that while services are available and staff are often helpful, systems are not always designed in a way that enables people to use them confidently and independently.
People described how everyday interactions can become uncertain when information is not accessible. For example, appointment details, follow-up instructions and medication guidance are frequently provided in standard print formats, meaning that patients must rely on memory or verbal explanations.
They mentioned many barriers to being able to access their medication safely, including small-print medication labels which were difficult to read and pharmacy-added medication stickers being placed over braille markings on packaging. This meant they relied on verbal explanations at the counter or systems at home (e.g. organising tablets by position or routine). While staff at pharmacies were described as helpful, participants highlighted that safe use of medication should not depend on memory or assistance.
People also described increasing reliance on online booking systems, text message notifications, and digital communication from NHS services. For people with sight loss, these systems are not always accessible, meaning they must rely on others to read messages or complete tasks. This reduces independence and can lead to delays, particularly when responding quickly is important, such as confirming or attending appointments (this could include vaccination appointments at pharmacies for example)
What is the Accessible Information Standard?
The Accessible Information Standard (AIS) is a national NHS standard for health and adult social care services in England. It sets out how services must support people with a disability, impairment or sensory loss to:
Access and understand information about their care.
Receive the communication support they need to use services effectively (1).
The standard was published by NHS England in July 2015 and became a legal requirement from 1st August 2016 (2).
It applies to organisations providing NHS care or publicly funded adult social care, including when carers or family members have communication needs.
Providers should be able to show, through feedback, including that provided to local Healthwatch (3), that people receive communication support and information in formats that meet their needs.
In practice, providers of NHS and publicly funded adult social care must:
Ask whether someone has communication or information needs.
Record those needs clearly and consistently.
Flag them so staff can easily see and act on them.
Share them appropriately when information is transferred between services.
Act to make sure communication needs are met in practice.
Review needs regularly and keep records up to date (3).
What should you expect from your pharmacy
Colleagues at Community Pharmacy informed us that if you have an accessibility need regarding your medication, let the pharmacist know the first time you go into collect medication and ask them to record this requirement.
Under the Equality Act 2010, all healthcare professionals must support individuals with a disability, including in relation to managing their medicines. The pharmacist is the person responsible for deciding if any adjustments are needed (4).
This may include having labels printed in large text, the use of colour coding, or ensuring that the braille is clear and not covered. In some circumstances the pharmacy team may undertake an assessment to determine what reasonable adjustments are needed.
If you have feedback on pharmacy services, you can complete our survey which is open until 16th January.
References
1) NHS England (2016) Accessible Information Standard (DAPB1605). Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/accessible-information-standard-requirements-dapb1605/
2) NHS England (2025) About the Standard. https://www.england.nhs.uk/accessible-information-standard/about-the-standard/
3) NHS England (2016) Accessible Information Standard
4) NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight (2025) Resonable adjustments to support patients with medicines. Available at: Resonable_adjustments_to_support_patients_with_medicines.pdf
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