Accessibility Statement for Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

Last Updated: 28 November 2024

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust is committed to ensuring our website, http://www.surreyandsussex.nhs.uk, is accessible to as many people as possible. Below is an overview of the features we have implemented to support this goal and the steps we are taking to continuously improve accessibility.

Accessibility Features

  • Customizable display: Users can change colours, contrast levels, and fonts.
  • Zoom functionality: The site supports zooming up to 400% without causing text overflow.
  • Screen reader compatibility: The site is compatible with major screen reader software.
  • Clear and simple text: We strive to use plain language to ensure content is easy to understand.
  • Device accessibility support: For tips on making your device easier to use if you have a disability, visit AbilityNet

Compliance status

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliances and exemptions listed below.

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reason(s):

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations.

  • PDF accessibility: We are updating active content, such as patient leaflets, but it may not be possible to convert some older materials to the preferred HTML due to files being too large.

Content is not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

Certain types of content are exempt from accessibility regulations, including:

  • Pre-recorded audio and video published before 23 September 2020.
  • Live audio and video streams.
  • Heritage collections, such as scanned manuscripts.
  • PDFs and other documents published before 23 September 2018.
  • Maps.
  • Intranet or extranet content published before 23 September 2019 (unless revised).
  • Archived websites.
  • Third-party content not under our control or paid for. 

We are committed to enhancing our digital materials to meet current accessibility standards where possible.

Feedback and contact information

If you require information on this website in an alternative format (e.g., accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording, or braille), please contact our Communications Team:

Email: sash.communications@nhs.net

Please be aware that complex requests, such as translation services, may take longer to fulfill. If you have specific communication needs due to an impairment or sensory loss, please inform our operator.

Reporting accessibility problems

We are continuously looking to improve our website’s accessibility. If you encounter any problems not listed on this page or believe we are not meeting accessibility requirements, please contact us at sash.communications@nhs.net

Enforcement procedure

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018. If you are not satisfied with our response to your complaint, you can contact the [Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS)](https://www.equalityadvisoryservice.com).

Technical information

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust is committed to making this website accessible, in compliance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Testing tools: We primarily use Frank Ltd's software to test our site’s accessibility. While we adhere to best practices, we cannot guarantee full compatibility with all other products. We also utilise the WAVE tool.

Platform testing: The website is designed to support accessibility features on various operating systems at the base code level, though we may not be able to test every platform.

Content not within the scope of accessibility regulations

  • PDFs: We are not required to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 unless they are essential to providing our services.
  • Live video: We do not plan to add captions to live video streams as they are exempt from the accessibility regulations.

Ongoing improvements

The Trust is committed to improving accessibility, guided by a cross-team group led by our Chief Nurse, focusing on patient information. Improvements include:

  • Internal WCAG training for all staff who have editing rights to our website.
  • Introduction of video content and easy-read guidance.

We will continue to enhance both online and offline content in the future.

Preparation of this statement

This statement was prepared on 6 September 2024 and will be regularly reviewed. The website was last tested on 2 September 2024 by Frank Ltd and on 10 September by the Cabinet Office. We also utilised the WAVE tool to assess the most popular pages and implement changes based on the results. We will continue testing and improving accessibility across our site.

For PDF accessibility, we use Adobe Acrobat’s built-in checking tools.