Things to ask for to make your visit to hospital easier

A man points the way for a woman next to some healthcare professionals

Clear communication from healthcare staff.

A clock showing 20 minutes has an arrow over it showing more time. This is above a picture of a doctor talking to a patient

Longer appointments.

A complicated form with a red cross on it next to an Easy Read version of the same form which has a green tick on it. This is next to a picture of a man giving another man a leaflet

Accessible information.

Resources to help with a hospital visit

Hospital passport Easy Read image

Hospital Passports

 

A paper which helps you tell healthcare professionals about your learning disability and health.

 

Supporting children in hospital

Supporting children (0-5 years) in hospital

Information from a survey about how children with a learning disability, and their parents, are treated in hospital.

Accessible information standard

Accessible Information Standard

It is now law that the NHS and adult social care services make sure people with a learning disability have information that they can understand.

Mental Capacity Act

Mental Capacity Act

 

A law for people with a learning disability which protects your right to make your own choices.

Equality act easy read image

Equality Act

 

The Equality Act says that everyone should be treated equally.

Resources for healthcare workers

Resources for healthcare workers

Guides and information for healthcare workers about people with a learning disability.

Reasonable adjustments in hospital

What are reasonable adjustments?

Reasonable adjustments are small changes that can help people with a learning disability be treated equally.

The law says that reasonable adjustments should be put in place.

Watch this video to find out how they can help you.

About reasonable adjustments
A man is standing at a hospital reception desk talking to a nurse
Top 10 reasonable adjustments to ask for
A man is sitting at a desk handing an easy read form to someone

It's not just during visits to hospital when people with a learning disability need more support

Thanks to those campaigning alongside Mencap, particularly following our Treat Me Well campaign, visiting hospital is starting to become easier for people with a learning disability.

But there's so much more to be done.

Mencap has, and always will, continue to campaign tirelessly to make the UK the best place for people with a learning disability to live.

These reports and lived experiences highlighted the changes needed in healthcare during our Treat Me Well campaign

Alex and Angelas story Treat Me Well image

Alex and Angela's story

Despite noticing her son Alex was in pain, Angela found the hospital staff were unable to change their way of thinking for a diagnosis.

Treat me well campaign report

Treat Me Well campaign

A report all about our campaign to transform how the NHS treats people with a learning disability.

 

Reasonable adjustments to ask for

Treat Me Well campaign

An easy read version of our Treat Me Well campaign report.

 

 

Inequalities in healthcare report image

Barriers to healthcare

Read the full report, or the Easy Read version, about the shocking inequalities in healthcare for people with a learning disability.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find a hospital passport?

You can use our template to make your own hospital passport.

To find out how to use the hospital passport visit our website.

What reasonable adjustments can I ask for?

Under the Equality Act 2010, all disabled people have the right to reasonable adjustments when using public services, including healthcare. 

Every person is different, so the adjustments people with a learning disability need will differ from person to person. However, there are common adjustments that help lots of people with a learning disability.  

We have made a list of the Top 10 reasonable adjustments people ask for.