Doncaster and Bassetlaw hospitals launch 140 Detailed Access Guides in partnership with AccessAble
We're pleased to have partnered with Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (DBTH) to create 140 Detailed Access Guides, covering all three of the Trust's hospital sites.
The guides provide patients, visitors and staff with detailed accessibility information to help them understand what to expect before visiting and planning their journeys with greater confidence and independence.
Funded by Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals Charity, our trained surveyors visited each hospital site in person to assess and report a detailed document of the environment. The resulting Guides cover everything from entrances, lifts and toilets to parking, lighting, signage and assistive listening facilities.
We've captured information to support a wide range of access requirements, including those of disabled people and people with mobility or sensory needs, as well as anyone who may feel anxious about visiting an unfamiliar environment.
The Guides also highlight specific facilities such as stoma-friendly toilets, Changing Places toilets and quiet spaces, helping people find the information that's important to them before setting off.
Helping people feel more confident when accessing healthcare
Visiting a hospital can be daunting, particularly when you're unsure what to expect or whether your individual access requirements will be met. Having reliable, detailed information in advance can help reduce uncertainty, allowing people to make informed decisions and feel better prepared for their visit.
Anna Nelson, our Chief Executive, said:
"Visiting hospital can be daunting, particularly when you are unsure what to expect or whether your individual access requirements will be met. Having reliable, detailed information in advance can make a real difference, helping people plan their visits with confidence and make informed decisions about their care.
"I want to thank colleagues across the Trust for their commitment to improving accessibility, and Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals Charity for funding this important work. This is a fantastic example of how charitable funding can make a lasting difference, empowering disabled people and their families with the information they need to access healthcare with greater confidence and independence."
Our surveys also provide the Trust with findings and recommendations to help identify and prioritise accessibility improvements across its three hospital sites, informing both immediate actions and longer-term plans.
Kirsty Clarke, Associate Chief Nurse at DBTH, said:
"We want everyone who visits our hospitals to feel welcome and supported. These Detailed Access Guides provide practical information to help people plan ahead, understand what to expect and feel more confident and independent when accessing our services.
"Alongside supporting individual visits, the findings and recommendations from AccessAble will help us identify and prioritise accessibility improvements across our three hospital sites, informing both short-term actions and longer-term plans."
All 140 Detailed Access Guides are free to use and available through our website. They're optimised for mobile phones, making it easy to access information when planning a visit or while on site.
Check out the DBTH Guides.