Let's raise awareness about Hidden Disabilities

Some disabilities, conditions or chronic illnesses are not immediately obvious to others. For some people, this can make it hard to understand and believe that someone, with a “non-visible” condition genuinely needs support. Some people question whether you have a disability because you don’t look ‘like you have a disability".

Globally 1 in 6 of us live with a disability. And of those, it is estimated that up to 80% are living with a non-visible disability. That is over 1 billion people.

What disability is not visible?

While some of us experience a disability that is visible, many of us have a non-visible disability that is not immediately apparent to others. These can be temporary, situational or permanent. They can be neurological, cognitive and neurodevelopmental as well as physical, visual, auditory and including sensory and processing difficulties. They also include respiratory, rare diseases and chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes.

As diverse as these conditions are, so are your individual access needs and the barriers you face in your daily life. 

Please speak to our reception team if you need any reasonable adjustments made.

Reasonable adjustments that are available to patients on request:
  • Longer appointments (routine and urgent)
  • Pictures of the building/rooms and medical staff
  • Can wait in the car or outside rather than in the waiting room
  • Appointments at the beginning or end of the day
  • Switch off the radio in the waiting room
  • Use reduced language
  • Allow time for patient to adjust at the beginning of an appointment
  • Explain what will happen during the appointment and allow time for the patient to process
  • Avoid moving or changing booked appointments
  • Add notes to EMIS of patients requested reasonable adjustments
  • Make it easy for patients to change appointments
  • Keep to appointment times as much as possible to avoid distress
  • Allow them to book multiple appointments together to avoid multiple visits to the surgery
  • Invite patients into the surgery when there are no appointments to familiarise themselves with the setting. For example 8am to 8.30am every Wednesday morning they can come in and have a snack in the waiting room
  • Use visuals to support communication
  • Try and keep appointments with the same GP/nurse to allow patients to build trust and a connection with a clinician

Published on 12 July 2024