People with disabilities are being let down by public services due to poor or inaccessible communications, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has warned. 

The Ombudsman said listening to patients and service users is essential to preventing harm, but too often disabled people’s voices are not being heard because information is not provided in formats they can access. 

Disabled people are at risk of not getting the vital information they need to make informed decisions about their healthcare, finances or employment, because some services failed to provide accessible formats such as audio materials or British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters. The Ombudsman’s investigations, detailed in a new report, Spotlight on accessible communication: your stories, your rights, found instances where disabled people did not receive information in accessible formats such as audio materials or British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters, leaving them confused, distressed, and financially worse off as a result.  

The report highlights the importance of public services providing effective, accessible communication, which is a central theme of the Ombudsman’s new long-term strategy published earlier this year. 

Rebecca Hilsenrath KC (Hon), Chief Executive at PHSO said:   

“Good communication is fundamental to safe and effective public services. Yet for too many people, public services are falling short.  

 

 

“When people feel they are not listened to and that their needs are not met, they lose trust in the very services designed to support them. 

 

 

“At worst, failures in communication can make services unsafe and cause serious harm if people are unable to understand information and advocate for themselves. 

 

 

“Public services have a duty to communicate clearly in a range of formats to meet the needs of people who use their services. This must be consistently built into service delivery. Organisations must listen to people who use their services and make improvements so that services are inclusive, safe and effective for everyone.” 

One case shows how a disabled man missed out on £5,600 in employment grants because HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) failed to return his calls for over a year.  

Elliott, who has dyslexia and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), contacted HMRC to claim Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grants when he was unable to run his business because of COVID-19 restrictions. HMRC knew that Elliott needed support to use its services because it had been sending him audio documents instead of letters for several years.  

Elliott’s tax return was submitted late because of his disabilities which meant HMRC said he was not eligible for the grants. He asked HMRC to review its decision and explained that he could provide evidence of his disability over the phone, but not in writing. HMRC agreed to call him to discuss his claim. 

Over the following 14 months, Elliott contacted HMRC many times. He was repeatedly told he would be called back, but this never happened, despite HMRC knowing about his disabilities. Instead, HMRC decided he was not eligible for the grants without speaking to him to hear his evidence. He was left without financial support for over a year, which caused him significant worry and distress. 

He said: 

“I faced constant barriers when trying to access the support I was entitled to. Organisations seem able to support people with physical disabilities, but with communication needs, it’s a different story. My needs arise from the various disabilities I have, but they are not treated seriously or with any empathy.” 

Elliot contacted the Adjudicator’s Office, which investigates complaints about HMRC. After the Adjudicator intervened, HMRC referred his case to its discretionary board. Once his case was reviewed, the grants were approved immediately. 

He complained to the Ombudsman that HMRC took over a year to refer his case to the discretionary board, and did not respond to his calls, which left him without funding that he was entitled to. At the Ombudsman’s request, HMRC apologised to Elliott, paid him £1,500 to recognise the distress it had caused, and agreed to improve its service for people with communication requirements. 

Another case in the report highlights how a Deaf woman was given the wrong vaccination at a GP surgery because staff failed to provide a BSL interpreter. Samantha, whose first language is BSL, attended the Practice for a pre-booked flu vaccination, but instead was given the COVID-19 vaccination without her consent. 

She said there was no interpreter present, and staff attempted to communicate with her through her grandmother, without knowing whether she knew sign language. Staff also failed to show her the NHS COVID-19 vaccination video which explains the vaccine and possible side effects in BSL. 

Samantha later experienced side effects she had not been expecting. Had she been allergic to any component of the vaccine, the error could have had serious and potentially life-threatening consequences. 

She said:

“Sadly, this experience has had a profound impact on my emotional wellbeing, and I have completely lost trust and confidence in having any type of injection. In the past, I would confidently attend blood tests or any procedures involving injections, but now I feel very nervous and anxious.” 

Following an investigation by the Ombudsman, the Practice outlined how it will improve its service for patients with different communication needs. 

The Ombudsman is encouraging people who experience problems accessing communication to raise a complaint with the organisation involved. 

If they are unhappy with the outcome, they can bring their complaint to the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman investigates complaints about the NHS in England and UK Government departments and agencies.  

Find out more here: ombudsman.org.uk/making-complaint