Standard 44: Access, Findability and Wayfinding

Why it matters. A patient who cannot find the clinic before arriving may give up or arrive at the wrong place. Clear public information about the address, hours and how to get there helps the patient reach care.

Sample. Review public information on the website, listings and printed materials for the last 3 months.

1. Public information states the address, opening hours and how to get there.

Method. Compare each public source with the current address and hours.

Evidence to show. Public information about the service (WAY-POL-001).

Pass when. Every public source matches the current address and hours.

2. The languages spoken and the emergency contact are stated.

Method. Check each public source for the languages and the emergency number.

Evidence to show. Public information check record (WAY-FRM-001).

Pass when. Every public source states the languages and emergency contact.

3. Interpreter access is available and stated.

Method. Check the language access policy and each interpreter request for the response.

Evidence to show. Language access and interpreters (MTR-POL-002, existing, reused).

Pass when. Interpreter access is stated and provided on request.

Immediate fail (any one means the criterion is not met)

• A family travels to a clinic that has moved, with public information never updated.

Why it matters. In an emergency the patient must find the entrance at once. A marked, lit and open emergency entrance is part of the emergency plan.

Sample. Inspect the emergency entrance and its approach on three days, including one night.

1. The emergency entrance is marked from the road and inside the site.

Method. Inspect the road and internal signs to the entrance.

Evidence to show. Emergency entrance marking and access (WAY-SOP-001).

Pass when. The entrance is marked from the road and inside.

2. The entrance is open whenever emergency patients may arrive.

Method. Check the open-hours record against the times emergency patients arrive.

Evidence to show. Emergency entrance open-hours and clear-access check (WAY-REG-001).

Pass when. The entrance was open at every sampled time.

3. Ambulance access is kept clear.

Method. Inspect the ambulance bay on each sampled day.

Evidence to show. Environment and accessibility for safe movement (ACS-POL-001, existing, reused).

Pass when. The ambulance bay was clear on every sampled day.

Immediate fail (any one means the criterion is not met)

• The emergency entrance locked and signed to the car park, and an ambulance waits 15 minutes.

Why it matters. Not everyone can read well or see small text. Signs with pictures alongside words, good contrast and large print help everyone find their way.

Sample. Inspect the main signage on the site and check it against the languages and literacy needs of the population.

1. Signs use symbols and pictograms alongside text.

Method. Inspect each sign for symbols alongside the text.

Evidence to show. Facility signage standard (ENV-SOP-003, existing, reused).

Pass when. Every key sign has a symbol alongside text.

2. Signs have good contrast and are in the languages the population uses.

Method. Check each sign for contrast and language.

Evidence to show. Accessible signage check record (WAY-FRM-002).

Pass when. Every sign has good contrast and the required languages.

3. Tactile or audio support is available and signed.

Method. Check that tactile or audio support is available and signed.

Evidence to show. Signage survey and quarterly check (ENV-FRM-005, existing, reused).

Pass when. Tactile or audio support is available and signed.

Immediate fail (any one means the criterion is not met)

• A deaf patient and a patient with low sight cannot find the lab; signs are text only.

Why it matters. A patient who gets lost on the way to a service may miss their appointment or arrive late. Routes marked and tested with real people show where the problems are.

Sample. Review route tests for all key services in the last 12 months, and any building change in that period.

1. The routes to key services are marked on the site.

Method. Walk each route and check the marking.

Evidence to show. Route marking and user testing (WAY-SOP-003).

Pass when. Every key route is marked.

2. Routes are tested with real users at the defined interval.

Method. Check the route test register for each route against the interval.

Evidence to show. Route test register (WAY-REG-002).

Pass when. Every key route was tested with users at the interval.

3. A building change triggers a new route test.

Method. Check each building change for a route test within the defined time.

Evidence to show. Route test register (WAY-REG-002).

Pass when. Every building change has a route test recorded.

Immediate fail (any one means the criterion is not met)

• Route to the dialysis unit never tested with patients; patients walk into the wrong wing.

Why it matters. Access information changes when a building is altered, a door is moved or a route is closed. Someone must be responsible for keeping it current, or the information becomes wrong.

Sample. Review the access information change log and the current public information for the last 12 months.

1. The service records who is responsible for access information.

Method. Check the policy for the named responsible person.

Evidence to show. Keeping access information current (WAY-POL-002).

Pass when. A responsible person is named and recorded.

2. Each change to the site, entrance, hours or services triggers an update.

Method. Check each recorded change against the update made to public information.

Evidence to show. Access information change log (WAY-REG-003).

Pass when. Every change has an update recorded within the defined time.

3. Public information matches the current site after each change.

Method. Compare the public information with the site after a sample of changes.

Evidence to show. Access information change log (WAY-REG-003).

Pass when. Public information matches the site after every sampled change.

Immediate fail (any one means the criterion is not met)

• The emergency entrance moved in June and the website still shows the old address.