Following a successful meeting with hospital bosses last week, where Lynne Featherstone MP and members of a local group for visually impaired residents demanded the right to get hospital information in accessible formats, the Whittington Hospital has now agreed to produce information in large print, Braille and audio.

The Liberal Democrat MP and the members of the Haringey Phoenix Group that represents blind and partially sighted people locally, were taking part in the RNIB’s ‘Losing Patients’ campaign, to turn the right to get, by law, hospital information in accessible formats, into reality, on the ground.

The Hornsey and Wood Green MP has now also written to the local hospital service, to ask for local GPs follow suit.

Lynne Featherstone MP, comments:

“Getting the chance to find out about personal and sensitive hospital information, without first having to share it with a family member or neighbour, is something most of us take for granted. But for many blind and partially sighted people here in Haringey, that’s just not the case.

“I’m really delighted that, after our meeting, the Whittington has agreed to make this a reality for all its visually impaired patients. And hopefully, this is just the first hurdle; I look forward to the day when all GPs and hospitals, locally, will do the same!”

Mr Frank Bonus, a Haringey Phoenix Group member and Muswell Hill resident, aged 97, adds:

“I live alone and am registered as partially sighted.  When I receive a hospital appointment letter, I have to wait until someone comes to visit me and ask them to read it to me.

“If I could receive the information on cassette or CD, I could listen to it for myself, without having to rely on anyone else.”