Accessibility statement for Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s website
This accessibility statement applies to www.derbyshirehealthcareft.nhs.uk
This website is run by Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website.
For example, that means you should be able to:
• change colours, contrast levels and fonts
• zoom in up to 200% without the text spilling off the screen
• navigate most of the website using just a keyboard
• navigate most of the website using speech recognition software
• listen to most of the website using a screen reader.
Learn more on the ‘using this website’ page.
We’ve also made the website text as simple as possible to understand. Where we have used jargon or an acronym that wouldn't easily be explained by searching online, we have added them to our glossary page.
AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.
How accessible this website is
In September 2023 the company Silktide, working in partnership with Socitm, rated our website ‘great’ for accessibility – learn more on the Silktide website.
We have made several improvements since the website was first launched, such as adding underlines to all text links as a default, improving the contrast ratios between text and coloured backgrounds and ensuring that all of the site's functions can be operated by using the keyboard.
However we know some parts of this website are not fully accessible:
- You cannot modify the line height or spacing of text
- Some of our online forms are difficult to navigate when using a screen reader
- Some of the PDF documents are not fully accessible to screen reader software.
Feedback and contact information
If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille, please contact our Communications team:
• email dhcft.communications@nhs.net
• call 01332 623700 extension 31218.
We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 10 working days.
If you cannot view the maps on our ‘contact us’ pages, please call or email us for directions.
Reporting accessibility problems with this website
We are always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact our Communications team:
• email dhcft.online@nhs.net
• call 01332 623700 extension 31218.
Enforcement procedure
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’). If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).
Contacting us by phone or visiting us in person
We provide a text relay service for people who are Deaf, hearing impaired or have a speech impediment.
Our offices have audio induction loops, or if you contact us before your visit we can arrange a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter.
Find out how to contact us by visiting our 'contact us' page.
Technical information about this website’s accessibility
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
Compliance status
This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below. (Note: these are the main areas of non-compliance.)
Non accessible content
The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.
Non compliance with the accessibility regulations
- Some images and buttons do not have a label or text alternative, so people using a screen reader cannot access the information. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.1.1 (non-text content).
We plan to add text alternatives for all non-decorative images and buttons. (The WCAG criteria makes a distinction about non-text content that is “pure decoration” and “used only for visual formatting”, so long as it is implemented in a way that it can be ignored by assistive technology like screen readers.) We are working through the existing pages and plan to fix this problem by May 2025.
When we publish new content we’ll make sure our use of non-decorative images meets accessibility standards.
- Some of our videos do not have accurate captions. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.2.2 (captions (prerecorded)).
All our videos are first uploaded to YouTube, which has a system of automatically captioning videos. Sometimes the captions do not accurately capture what the people in the videos are saying. We are working through the existing videos to make sure the captions are edited so that they are correct and plan to fix this problem by May 2025.
When we publish new videos, we’ll make sure the captions are edited so that they are correct.
Many of our videos have BSL interpretation, in line with WCAG standards.
- On some pages, the same link text is used for different destinations. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.4.4 (link purpose (in context))
We are working through the existing pages where this issue occurs and will ensure that the same link text is not used to point to different web addresses. We plan to fix this problem by May 2025.
When we publish new content we’ll make sure our link text meets accessibility standards.
- Some of our links open in new tabs without explaining this. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 3.2.5 (change on request)
This issue was fixed in March 2024. Going forward, from April 2024, all links will open in the same tab, but there is also an option for the user to open the link in a new tab if they wish.
- Some pages have images of text, and do not convey information through text itself. This fails WCAG success criterion 1.4.5 (images of text)
A small number of pages on the site feature images of text and do not include the same information as body text which can be read by a screen reader. Actual text will be added to make this clear. We are working through the existing pages and plan to fix this problem by May 2025.
Disproportionate burden
Our website currently houses many PDFs and documents produced after 23 September 2018 and some of these do not meet elements of the WCAG 2.1 criteria including WCAG 2.4.2 (page titled), WCAG 3.1.1 (language of page), WCAG 1.3.1 (information and relationships) and WCAG 1.1.1 (non-text content).We have assessed the cost of fixing the issues and we believe that doing so would be a disproportionate burden within the meaning of the accessibility regulations.
PDFs and Word documents on the website are essential to providing our services. For example, we have PDFs with information on how users can access our services, and forms published as Word documents. Going forward, from 1 October 2023, we will add information to our website as accessible HTML content wherever possible. We are exploring ways to make essential PDFs and documents more accessible, and plan to have a solution by May 2025.
Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations
PDFs and other documents
Many of our older PDFs, Excel spreadsheets and Word documents do not meet accessibility standards - for example, they may not be structured so they’re accessible to a screen reader. This does not meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 4.1.2 (name, role value).
The accessibility regulations do not require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they’re not essential to providing our services. For example, we do not plan to fix:
• Excel spreadsheets of our staffing figures
• Excel spreadsheets of information covering our transparency spending
• Annual reports (PDF)
• Information about other organisations or their work.
In December 2023, we made sure that all the PDFs on our website were recognisable by our Accessibility Assistive Toolbar, ReciteMe, which allows users to access an audio version of the text within a PDF.
Live video
Live video streams do not have captions. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.2.4 (captions - live).
We do not plan to add captions to live video streams because live video is exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations.
Preparation of this accessibility statement
This statement was prepared on 20 September 2019. It was last reviewed on 10 October 2024.
This website was last tested on 15 September 2023. The test was carried out internally by the Trust. We tested a sample of pages from the website using the gov.uk checklist for website accessibility and the web accessibility evaluation tool created by WebAim.
