The NHS uses something called the Reasonable Adjustments Digital Flag (RADF) to make sure that people with disabilities or long-term health conditions get the same access to healthcare as everyone else. This supports the Equality Act (2010), which protects your rights.
The flag is a note added to your NHS record. It shows what adjustments (changes or support) you may need to make it easier for you to use NHS services and so NHS staff know how best to support you.
With your consent this information is kept on the NHS Spine which is a safe and secure NHS computer system.
Other NHS services that can use the NHS Spine will be able to see your reasonable adjustment needs. These services include A&E, hospitals, ambulance staff, pharmacists, and dentists.
The benefits of having a reasonable adjustment flag include:
- It reduces stress for you and your carers because you don’t have to explain your needs every time you use healthcare services.
- It helps make healthcare easier for everyone to use.
- Screening services can change how they work so everyone can take part
Reasonable adjustments can help with many different needs, including:
- Vision (blindness or partial sight)
- Hearing (deafness or partial hearing)
- Mobility (difficultly walking short distances or climbing stairs)
- Dexterity (difficulty lifting and carrying objects or using a keyboard)
- Learning/understanding/concentrating difficulties.
- Memory impairments (dementia/Alzheimer’s)
- Mental health (anxiety/agoraphobia)
- Respiratory impairments
- Fatigue (e.g., chronic MS)
- Social or behavioural impairments (Aspergers or ADHD)
If you have any of the needs mentioned above, please tell us. We also ask you to agree to share this information with other health services. This helps us make your healthcare easier and better for you.