Easy Read Guides - Health
Easy read is the phrase often used to describe a way of making written information more accessible for people to understand, by using simple words, language, short sentences and illustrating the information with pictures. Its aim is to help people, particularly those with learning disabilities, to access information which they may not otherwise be able to, with or without support.
Asking for Easy read documents, leaflets or letters is classed as a reasonable adjustment to support people in many aspects of their life.
This page provides information in easy read from different organisations and links to websites that have a library of easy read guides.
If you are looking for a particular easy read document and you can’t find it here please email info@essexcarersnetwork.co.uk or call 01255 554029 and we will endeavour to find it for you.
Cancer Screening for people with a learning disability
Cancer screening, as we know is something available to everyone. However for people with a learning disability there is often more to think about when the time comes. Below are some Easy Read Guides to help support families and people to have the information they need.
Bowel Cancer Screening – Easy Read Guide
Cervical Cancer Screening – Easy Read Guide
An Easy Guide to Cervical Screening from Beyond Words2021.pdf
NHS Breast Screening Easy Read guide
The link offers a video with people with a learning disability describing why they think screening is important.
Macmillan Cancer Support have many different Easy Read guides about Cancer. Follow the link to their website.
There is also some useful information below for care providers aimed at supporting people to access screening sessions.
Promoting access to Adult screening for people with a learning disability
Easy Read information about the Learning Disability Register
This leaflet produced by the NHS helps people think about whether their child or someone they care for could be considered to have a learning disability and should be on their local GP practice’s Learning Disability Register, to help them get the help they need.
As well as helping health and care staff
offer your child reasonable adjustments,
the benefits of being on the Learning
Disability Register and for example,
having an Annual Health Check, means
that your child is more likely to get timely
and targeted additional support to help
them stay healthy. Your child may already
be seeing other health professionals.
Seeing your GP is also important.
To visit the NHS website for more information click this link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/find-out-more-about-the-learning-disability-register/
Having a CT scan - Easy read guide from Macmillan Cancer Support
This easy read guide from Macmillan Cancer Support helps people to understand having a scan.
Online Information Pack - DNACPR (
NEW for 2024 this pack with videos, easy read and a printable version talks about DNACPR.
Learning Disability England and Turning Point have published a free, interactive, online information pack about DNACPR (Do Not Attempt Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) recommendations. The information pack is for people who have a learning disability, people who work in healthcare, or provide support to people with learning disabilities. Turning Point and Learning Disability England worked with self-advocates, family members, support workers and experts to create the pack which includes: a checklist on what the doctor should tell you, video clips of people who have successfully challenged inappropriate DNACPRs and a poster with some ‘Top Tips’ on DNACPR from people with lived experience that can be printed out. The information pack is available here: https://mytp.me/dnacpr-info
If you have any feedback about the resource please email info@turning-point.co.uk
Don't Miss Out poster
This poster produced by Ace Anglia and NHS reminds people in an easy-read format to register at their GP and request an Annual Health Check
Annual Health Check Questionnaire - Suffolk and North East Essex ICB
🩺We have spoken to so many families about the Annual Health Check over the past few years, and the experiences we hear about can vary greatly!
The Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board SNEE ICB, along with ourselves and other organisations have coproduced this questionnaire for people with a learning disability and/or their family carers to complete after their Annual Health Check.
We hope the learning from these questionnaires will inform training and practice to ensure all Annual Health Checks are good.
Essex Carers Network resource pages have information about what a GOOD Annual Health Check should look like
Easy Read Guides – Health – Essex Carers Network
You should be given the link to access the questionnaire by the GP practice when your loved one attends an Annual Health Check, but please do inform us if they do not (Please note, this questionnaire is currently only running in North East Essex, but we hope other ICBs across Essex will follow)
Annual Health Check and Health Action Plan - NHS
This video produced for the Suffolk & North East Essex ICB explains about the Annual health Check and follows Rae as they attend theirs.
An invite to your Annual Health Check
Everyone with a learning disability over the age of 14years is entitled to an Annual Health Check with their GP. This booklet produced by NHS and Ace Anglia shows what an easy read Annual Health Check invitation includes. You can request an easy read invitation and other easy read leaflets from your GP.
Health Action Plan - Easy read
Mencap have an easy read guide to the Health Action Plan that should be a plan given at the end of an Annual health Check and is part of the Gold Standard for Annual Health Checks.
Pre Health Check questionnaire
When you are invited for your Annual Health Check you should receive a Pre Annual Health Check questionnaire. This easy read booklet from the NHS and Ace Anglia asks questions about your health.
Gold Standard Health Check
An Annual Health check should include the things listed here.
GP Appointments - frequently asked questions -easy-read
This easy-read guide talks about GP appointments including reasonable adjustments, requesting appointment times and where to go for help if things go wrong.
NHS care for people with long term health needs
Easy Read version of ‘National Framework for NHS Continuing
Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care – July 2022’
Constipation - an easy read guide
Constipation can be very serious and even life threatening for people with a learning disability. This easy read guide by the NHS is a good tool for talking about constipation.
There are other videos and documents on the link below in easy read.
NHS England » Constipation resources for people with a learning disability
Sepsis Easy Read
Keep Going…Don’t Stop and the MacIntyre checkers have produced this easy read guide about what Sepsis is and what to do if someone becomes unwell with suspected Sepsis.
A Guide to your CPAP - Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
This easy read guide talks about the CPAP ()Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine and how it can help people with sleep apnoea. The guide was produced by Baywater Services for the NHS
Healthy Lifestyles - An easy-read booklet
The NHS and Ace Anglia have produced a range of easy-read guides and booklets. This one focusses on Healthy Lifestyles.
Healthy Digestion - An easy-read booklet
The NHS and Ace Anglia have produced a range of easy-read guides and booklets. This one focusses on Healthy Digestion
Healthy Eating - An easy-read booklet
The NHS have produced a range of easy-read guides and booklets. This one focusses on Healthy Eating.
Easy Health
Easy Health are an online library of accessible health information with simple words, clear pictures and films.
What is Easy Read
A description about Easy Read from Inclusive Communication Essex.
Their website also offers lots of information and resources around communication, such as One Page Profile templates.
A vaccine for Pneumonia, Meningitis and Sepsis.
This resource is an easy read guide to what is usually called the pneumococcal vaccine. It is a vaccine for Pneumonia, Meningitis and Sepsis.
In Essex people with a learning disability are now entitled to a Pneumococcal vaccine.
The link gives further information from the NHS website
Beyond Words - empowering people through pictures
Many books with accessible information through picture stories co-created with people with lived experience. Shop available or to view the free stories and resources click this link.