The purpose of the research study should be clearly communicated, along with the benefit to the participant and wider community.

Eligibility should be clear, including why some people are deemed ineligible. People shouldn’t be ineligible for research due to their visual impairment or accessibility needs.

Many people who are visually impaired have had a negative experience of accessing health and social care services and information generally. It is really important to make your first contact a positive one.

Include information about accessibility during your first contact. If your first contact isn’t accessible, people with a visual impairment will assume the research isn’t for them.

Provide a way to register or highlight accessibility needs at the beginning of the research study. This will enable the study team to plan for adjustments throughout participation in the study.

Be honest about what you can and can’t make accessible. Talk to the participant about what their accessibility needs are and what you can do to meet those needs.

There are different types of visual impairment, people have different accessibility needs.

People with a visual impairment are less likely to trust someone they don’t know. Information should come from a trusted source.

They are at risk of missing, misreading or misunderstanding information. This makes them more likely to turn down research opportunities or take perceived risks.

Make sure all information is completely accessible and double-check they have understood.

Be transparent about how data will be used, stored, shared and removed on request.

Data management processes must be accessible.

Many people with a visual impairment are not aware that research is taking place.

Don’t rely on visual forms of promotion for research studies. Target people directly and provide accessible information.

Processing large quantities of information verbally can be difficult, especially if it’s complicated.

Provide information in the agreed accessible format to take home. Allow enough time to process information before asking people to make a decision.

There is a wide spectrum of visual impairments and access needs. It is important to provide different methods of communication to meet people’s individual needs.

When printed information isn’t available, ensure someone is available to read the information to the participant.

Send all text materials in advance of any appointment to allow time for screen reader users to review them, or for a reader to read them to the person.

Word documents are preferred to PDFs as they are more compatible with screen readers.

Talk directly to the visually impaired person, not their sighted guide or support person.

Travel for people with a visual impairment can be challenging and stressful. Reduce travel distances by delivering research locally and support with travel arrangements.

Consider offering to book and pay for a taxi. This was the most popular, and least stressful option for public transport.

Some sites offer hospital transport, but this isn’t always a great service and can put people off. It can be particularly challenging to navigate this service if you have a visual impairment.

Ensure travel costs are fully reimbursed, if you are not providing the transport. Travel costs should be paid up front for those who are on a low income.

Provide parking, as close to the clinic as possible for those who have friends/family to drive them.

Offer reserved parking where possible. It is not always easy for a visually impaired person to be dropped off at the entrance and left until the driver has parked the car.

All parking charges should be reimbursed.

Good public transport links are essential.

It would help to have someone meet them at the bus drop off point to help navigate the hospital site.

Providing accessible information about how to get to the clinic and what will happen during the appointment will help people feel confident in attending.

Ensure patient notes are flagged with accessibility needs so that all appointments and interactions during the study are accessible.

Clinic appointments should be fully accessible, or additional support offered where they are not.

Accessible spaces should include:

• Use of high contrast colour for surfaces such as walls, floors, door frames, chairs, handrails and light switches.
• Use of bright white or yellow non-slip paint in stairways, with textured or bright nosing on steps
• Use of tactile markers on floors to indicate change of direction, stairs, doorways etc.
• Improved lighting to maximise remaining vision and enhance safety, through glare reduction and reducing shadows etc.
• Use of large clear signposting on doors and walls.
• Keeping walkways clear and free from clutter, reducing trip hazards.

Further guidance on making buildings accessible can be found here:

Train a member of the research team, receptionist or volunteer to be a sighted guide.

When participants are accompanied by their own sighted guide, they should be able to decide which appointments they attend with them.

For more information, go to the following websites:

The receptionist is the first point of contact, so it’s important that they understand how to support the needs of the visually impaired person.

They should act in an appropriate, friendly and professional manner. This is often not the experience of people with a visual impairment, with receptionists not understanding their accessibility needs.

Offer support with touch screen registration and ensure the health professional collects the participant form the waiting area.

Provide guidance to facilities, such as the bathroom, where required.

Introduce yourself each time you speak, because a visually impaired person can’t see your name badge. Make it clear who you are, what your role is and who you are talking to.

Ensure you step closer to the participant, to help them see you and/or hear you more clearly.

Seeing the same person for all appointments is helpful, as they get to know the participant and develop an understanding of their needs.

Offer breaks for long appointments. Having communication challenges can be very tiring.

Flexibility around time of appointments, to accommodate people who can’t drive in the dark and need daylight appointments, around bus timetables, school runs, work and other health appointments etc.

Try to accommodate the needs for people who care for others.

Ensure you offer enough time for participants to process information, before being asked to make decisions.

Getting to an appointment can be a lengthy and challenging process, so consider offering refreshments, eg tea or coffee.

Research is increasingly using digital methods to promote, recruit to and deliver research studies. This includes the use of emails to communicate, websites to provide information and Apps to gather and record intel.

Digital services use a range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops and other online technology. People use different devices, depending on their individual accessibility needs.

Online content isn’t favoured by many people with a visual impairment and might be a barrier to accessing research.

Provide an offline alternative for those who can’t access research online, for example, face-to-face or telephone.

It is important that all digital services are accessible to people with a visual impairment, and where they are not, alternative methods should be provided.

Provide telephone or in-person support for people who are struggling to use digital services. This might include help to complete online forms.

For more help, visit NHS England’s website:

All web content should meet accessibility guidelines.

You could provide an accessibility toolbar on your website for people who do not have their own accessibility software available.

Ensure websites are compatible with accessibility software. Sometimes website design doesn’t allow an individual’s accessibility software to override the website.

Keep in mind that lengthy email conversations can be confusing. Consider starting new email conversations for different topics or when including new people.

Consider removing email signatures, logos, links, adverts and additional information often sent at the bottom of organisation emails. This will make the content of the email easier to read and more succinct for screen readers.

Use clear sans-serif fonts such as Arial, Calibri or Verdana and avoid excessive italics, underlining or all-capital letters (as mentioned in the accessible communication section).

Email attachments should be compatible with speech software.

Links sent by email should be checked by researchers for ease of accessibility.

Members of the public and research participants consistently tell us how important it is to them to find out the results of the research they took part in.

Provide regular updates on how the research study is progressing. This is particularly important where the results won’t be available for a number of years.

Ensure the results of the research are made available to the participants who took part in the study. This feedback must be in an accessible format.