Hospital seeks views of disabled people

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust is seeking the views of disabled people who use the trust's health services in order to develop a disability equality scheme.

All NHS organisations have a legal duty under the Disability Discrimination Act (2005) to develop a Disability Equality Scheme, showing how they will achieve equality for disabled people.

Throughout November people with a disability can give their feedback on the trust's services via a website questionnaire. The trust will also be seeking the views of disability groups and patients locally.

Director of Nursing and Education Christine Baxter said: “We are committed to improving health services and making them more accessible for everyone. If you consider yourself to have a disability, please share with us your experience of using our services.

The information you provide us will be treated in confidence and will only be used in developing the scheme and in shaping and improving our services with disability in mind. The questionnaire should only take about 10 minutes to complete.”

The 2001 census shows that in Norfolk just under one fifth of people (of all age ranges) have a long-term condition that limits daily activities and that 13 per cent of people of working age in the county have limiting long-term conditions.