AccessAble is thrilled to re-launch Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Detailed Access Guides for 253 services, wards, and departments across its hospitals.

AccessAble have worked in partnership with the Trust since 2016. Over the next 4 years, AccessAble surveyors will be re-surveying each hospital, and the updated Guides will include larger images and immersive 360-degree photographs of accessible toilets and Changing Places facilities. The Guides will offer clear, detailed visual information on layout, space and key features. 

To celebrate this partnership milestone, a Re-launch Event took place on Tuesday 14th October to celebrate the work, and look at future development opportunities, as well as next steps for both the Trust and AccessAble. 

"We are delighted to be running this re-launch event to help publicise our AccessAble guides for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and make sure that people are aware of the accessibility information we provide about our sites.

“We have been working with AccessAble for almost 10 years and are committed to supporting all of our patients to be able to access our services. The Detailed Access Guides and best practice guidance we receive from AccessAble enable us to provide information about accessibility and improve the accessibility of our site over time.

“We are also very grateful to the Sheffield Hospitals Charity for funding our organisation's Detailed Access Guides. Sheffield Hospitals Charity is proud to support this strategic investment in inclusive healthcare. Accessibility information isn’t a ‘nice to have’—it’s essential for thousands of people “

"By funding this work, we’re helping to remove barriers and reduce anxiety, ensuring everyone can access care with confidence and dignity”. - A representative from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said.

(Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and AccessAble re-launch event, guests in workshop activities.)

What makes the Detailed Access Guides unique

AccessAble’s guides are fact-based and genuinely detailed, moving well beyond unhelpful phrases like “fully accessible” to give clarity on what visitors can expect.

Every guide is created by trained surveyors, who visit each site in person and capture details on everything from entrances and lifts to toilets, parking, lighting, assistive listening, signage and more.

The guides are designed to support people with a wide range of accessibility requirements, including those with mobility or sensory needs and those who may feel anxious about unfamiliar environments. They also highlight stoma-friendly facilities, Changing Places toilets and quiet spaces that support neurodivergent users or anyone who needs a calmer environment.

The goal is simple: to enable everyone to plan ahead, feel confident, and be able to focus on the reason for their visit, reducing anxiety and empowering independence.

Easy to find and free to use

The Trust’s Detailed Access Guides are free to use and integrated directly into the Trust’s own website, so information is available exactly where patients, visitors and staff expect to find it. The guides can also be accessed via the AccessAble website, which is fully optimised for mobile phones, making it easy to use both when planning a visit and while on site.

Accessibility features on the AccessAble website include Recite Me, which allows users to listen to content as audio, translate it into multiple languages, or adjust font size, colour contrast and background colours. Additionally, SignLive video interpreting is available for users of British Sign Language (BSL), providing support to members of the Deaf community.

“Sheffield Teaching Hospitals were one of our trailblazers, among the first ten NHS Trusts in the country to partner with AccessAble. Their early commitment helped shape the model that’s now being used by over 100 NHS organisations nationwide.

“This latest phase demonstrates that the Trust remains at the forefront in prioritising accessibility as a central component of the patient experience. By investing in detailed, fact-based information, we are helping thousands of people plan their visits with confidence and independence.

“We’re proud to continue this partnership and to see Sheffield setting such a strong example for inclusive healthcare”- Anna Nelson, Chief Executive of AccessAble.

(Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and AccessAble re-launch event, guests in workshop activities.)

Access the guides

The Detailed Access Guides are free to use and easy to find on the AccessAble website, or by visiting the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's website.