Public Health Scotland Case Study
Services
Transcription of public health information documents to Easy Read, Large print, Braille and e-text
Project info
Public Health Scotland – reducing inequalities through accessible communication
“Public Health Scotland (PHS), previously NHS Health Scotland, have worked with A2i for a number of years and they have provided a quality service throughout. They offer advice and solutions to best suit PHS’ requirements for accessible versions of our materials in a professional and timely manner.”
Laura Fergus
Accessible Publications Officer, Public Health Scotland
Customer: Public Health Scotland
Services provided by A2i: Transcription of public health information documents to Easy Read, Large print, Braille and e-text so visually impaired customers have equal access to all health information and reports.
About Public Health Scotland (previously NHS Health Scotland)
Public Health Scotland is Scotland’s lead national agency for improving and protecting the health and wellbeing of all of Scotland’s people.
Their vision is of a Scotland where everybody thrives. Their focus is on increasing healthy life expectancy and reducing premature mortality. To do this, they use data, intelligence and a place-based approach to lead and deliver Scotland’s public health priorities.
The scale of the challenge is so great that no one organisation or profession can address it alone. But together, we can. They are jointly sponsored by COSLA and the Scottish Government and collaborate across the public and third sectors.
Public Health Scotland requirements
Public Health Scotland produce essential health information documents for the general public. They are committed to making their information accessible to as many people as possible.
To do this, they need their documents transcribed to Large print, braille and e-text for people with a visual impairment, and into Easy Read for people with a learning disability.
They want high-quality accessible information, including online PDF’s and print documents.
A2i’s and Public Health Scotland – our work together
Public Health Scotland (previously NHS Health Scotland) are a trusted and respected provider of public information, and that reputation means that accuracy and clarity within high quality transcribed documents is a key requirement.
Public Health Scotland and A2i Transcription Services started working together in 2014 and we have developed a strong relationship over that time. During the first years we worked together to provide Braille, large print, and e-text Word documents for people with a visual impairment.
In more recent times, Easy Read has grown in popularity and since 2017 A2i have produced Easy Read documents for Public Health Scotland, to ensure people with a learning disability have equal access to their important health information.
For easy brand recognition A2i keep the colours, styling and branding of the documents where possible.
What is e-text Word?
E-text Word documents are electronic documents which are edited to make them fully accessible for use with assistive software such as screen readers and screen magnifiers.
Information and advice booklets
Public Health Scotland’s booklets such as ‘Ready, Steady Baby!’ and ‘Up and About: Taking positive steps to avoid trips and falls’ use colours, creative layout, and lots of visual prompts and illustrations to help maximise client engagement and to portray different types of information.
These visual features of the documents also need to be accurately portrayed in the Braille, large print, and e-text versions to make sure all readers have equal access to information. A2i use their knowledge and experience to describe photos and images and to re-format the information given in illustrations, tables, graphs, and charts.
Information leaflets
Public Health Scotland’s leaflets also contain essential information. Leaflets such as ‘Your breast screening appointment during COVID-19’ and ‘A guide to teenage immunisations’ need to be made available in all formats quickly but they also need to be user-friendly and, for Easy Read customers in particular, they need to be reassuring.
Questionnaires and forms
Public Health Scotland’s ‘Display screen equipment work station assessment’ is one example of a form that needed a number of adaptations to make it accessible in alternative formats. Questionnaires and forms have to be changed a lot for Braille, large print, and e-text, as you can imagine. Each format has its own unique requirements. Forms need to be amended for Easy Read too, and A2i makes them into accessible, editable PDF’s that can easily be accessed and completed online.
Positive outcomes
Ongoing, successful collaboration between A2i and Public Health Scotland means that:
- People across Scotland can access Public Health Scotland’s important information in a wide range of alternative formats.
- Readers have equal access to Public Health Scotland’s documents in their preferred format.
- Public Health Scotland are being proactive and supporting their customers.
- Public Health Scotland are meeting their legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010.
About A2i
A2i helps organisations reach a wider audience by making information accessible to people who are blind, visually-impaired or cannot otherwise read printed text.
We provide ‘Access 2 information’. We transcribe text to alternative accessible formats: Braille, Audio, Large Print, Easy Read, e-text (word and Accessible PDF’s) and British Sign Language.
Contact our friendly team for more information for a quote.
