Accessible Healthcare in a Digital NHS: Evidence from the APPG on Eye Health and Visual Impairment on Accessibility, Digital Inclusion and the NHS App (29 October 2026)

Summary

With the NHS App set to become the “digital front door” to the NHS by 2028, this report from the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Eye Health and Visual Impairment considers how accessible the NHS App and wider digital health services are for people who are blind or partially sighted. It draws on a stakeholder survey carried out earlier this year and the parliamentary Oral Evidence Session on 30th June, chaired by Marsha De Cordova MP. It shows that when health information is not accessible, blind and partially sighted people are put at risk, making this a patient safety issue.

Content

The report includes six recommendations:

1. Embed accessibility and co-design from the outset

Blind and partially sighted people must be involved throughout the design, testing and development of NHS digital services, with clear ownership held jointly by DHSC and NHS England’s Chief Digital, Data and Technology Officer, and mandatory input from blind and partially sighted users on all NHS-funded digital projects.

2. Set consistent accessibility requirements across NHS digital services

NHS England, and subsequently DHSC, should set consistent accessibility standards for national and local digital services, requiring suppliers to provide independent accessibility testing before any system is approved for procurement or deployment. They should also build ongoing assurance and enforcement into contracts, so standards are met throughout the life of a service and not only at procurement.

3. Strengthen compliance with the Accessible Information Standard

DHSC and NHS England should strengthen implementation, assurance and accountability for the Accessible Information Standard, requiring NHS commissioners and providers to demonstrate that people’s communication and information needs are identified, recorded, flagged, shared, met and reviewed. Accessible information should be recognised as a fundamental component of safe, personalised healthcare.

4. Record accessibility needs once and act on them consistently

The Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag is the mechanism for this, and its Information Standard is now mandatory, so all NHS providers, including optometry and GP practices, must record and share reasonable adjustments, including sight loss needs, now rather than waiting for the Single Patient Record. The Single Patient Record should then build on the Flag so this information is visible throughout a patient’s care.

5. Strengthen accountability for digital accessibility

NHS England, and subsequently DHSC, should introduce regular independent accessibility audits covering the App’s core services, linked services and suppliers, publish the findings, and require every NHS organisation to name a senior responsible owner for digital accessibility. NHS organisations should also provide role-appropriate training for staff responsible for patient communications, reasonable adjustments, procurement and digital service delivery, so that accessibility requirements are understood and acted upon consistently.

6. Ensure digital transformation reduces health inequalities

The Government should set measurable targets for the NHS App’s accessibility and usability for blind and partially sighted users, and guarantee non-digital alternatives remain available wherever health services are digitised. DHSC and NHS bodies should ensure that blind and partially sighted people who want to use digital NHS services can access appropriate digital skills and assistive technology training, including through partnerships with specialist sight loss organisations.