Margaret Howart, Homerton Hospital’s Head of Patient Experience, was the first to use the new Enabled Maps service and said:
“Commissioning a map is as easy as turning on a switch: they provided the map then arranged local and external learning disability groups to test our map, then updated the map – we only had to add it to our site once which is straight forward.
An additional benefit has been making connections with people with learning disabilities who have expertise in accessible Health information. This map gives us confidence that our services are accessible to people with learning disabilities, visitors new to disability and those speaking English as a second language”.
Margaret Howart, Homerton Hospital’s Head of Patient Experience, was the first to use the new EnabledMaps service. Being updateable, meant changes could be made to Homerton’s map during and after building work was completed in the main reception area.
With tight timeframes, Enabled London produced the map and Hackney’s trainee mapping consultants user-tested their first map. Feedback from user-tests lead to improvements to the map and a photo opportunity for Homerton Hospital.
Being the first Hospital to use the mapping system, Margaret sought further external testing with a learning disability group. Enabled London suggested a Camden learning disability group who didn’t know the area, but were already working as health consultants. Camden’s Advocacy Group tested the map’s printable version, resulting in further improvements being made to the map.
“They really enjoyed the exercise, and think it’s a great idea to have photos and directions as well as a map. They would like to see this available in Camden too”. Kath Dawson, lead supporter the Advocacy Group”.
Homerton Hospital then embedded the map into their website, extending patient choice and potentially saving missed consultant appointments. Using the service has connected Homerton Hospital to external advocacy groups and local mapping consultants (trained experts with learning disabilities) to update their maps.
For option 2 the maps can be developed by, or quality controlled by, people with learning disabilities, who have been trained as mapping consultants. This enables clients to engage with people with learning disabilities and to ensure their information is accessible to other groups of people, including those with high information processing needs.
“People with learning disabilities are the right group of people to design accessible information, often they have have a life-times service placed upon them, many people with learning disabilities may have hidden or undiagnosed forms of disability (i.e also have visual and physical disabilities)”.
The service options include:
‘Contact us’ for more information or see ‘example maps’.