Small Changes Campaign

Discover the power of small changes
Everyone with a learning disability and all autistic people, deserves to live a longer, healthier and more independent life. To help achieve this, health professionals need to make access to services just as easy as for people with a disability, as they do for people without a disability.
Access to services can be improved if health professionals start to make small changes, or reasonable adjusments, to their services and settings.
If everyone made a small change to support people with a learning disability and, or autism, so many more people would have a positive experience and there would be better health outcomes for all.

What small changes can you make today?
When considering what is reasonable, you should consider if the adjustment:
- will remove or reduce the disadvantage?
- is practical?
- is affordable?
- is safe for other users?
Any time you are in contact with someone, you should be checking or reviewing their reasonable adjustments with them, regardless of your setting or role. Everyone has an individual responsibility to check.
Remember, not every individual with a learning disability or every autistic person will need the same changes to be made so it is important to ask people what support you can provide them with.
Concerns about asking about reasonable adjustments
You might have concerns about asking about reasonable adjustments. For example, how do I ask if they need any reasonable adjustments and gain their permission to share?
I don’t want to patronise anyone: We should be asking everyone and then recording that the question has been asked; just as we ask people’s names, addresses and dates of birth.
I don’t want to cause offence: If we all make it clear that everyone is asked these questions, not just some people, it is not about making assumptions: it’s about being equitable to everyone.
They may say no: That’s perfectly ok. If someone doesn’t have any reasonable adjustment information that should be recorded, or, if they decline consent to have these recorded and shared, they still legally have the right to ask for any reasonable adjustments to be made (they can tell the organisation they are being cared for at any time what adjustments they need).
Suggested small changes
We have collated some of the suggested small changes, or reasonable adjustments, that people have told us could make a real difference.
Supporting materials
Below you will find a range of communication materials that you can share in support of the campaign. If there is anything you would like please email ssotics.comms@staffsstoke.icb.nhs.uk. More resources are available on request.
Small Changes Champions
We are celebrating the people and teams in our system who are going above and beyond to make their service accessible to those with a Learning Disability and Autistic people. If you know anyone who should be a Small Changes Champion, please email ssotics.comms@staffsstoke.icb.nhs.uk.