Sensory Accessibility
Sensory Accessibility
Sensory impairment can make visiting places like pharmacies a very daunting experience. There are plenty of options to help make your pharmacy more accessible for those with sensory impairments.
What issues might customers have?
Moving around the store
Reading any written communication in the pharmacy such as signs, shelf/product labels or leaflets.
Locating and selecting items.
Accessing verbal information e.g. not being able to hear it or differentiate the information from background noise.
Reading information on your website or social media.
Being overwhelmed by the environment e.g. bright lights or noise
How can you address some of these issues?
Clear any clutter such as boxes/totes/electrical leads/ floor signs from the shop floor as these may not be seen.
Signage:
Make sure signage is written in simple/plain language, avoid any jargon. Use simple pictures to help people understand the text
Use a high contrast between the colours for the text and the background e.g. black text on a white or yellow background.
Avoid shiny surfaces to reduce glare (you can get matt finish laminating pouches if you laminate your signs)
Use a clear, sans serif font like Arial or Verdana.
Make sure your font is size 22 or above.
Place your signage at a height that is accessible for wheelchair users.
Think about if you need your signage to have a tactile element such as raised text/images or Braille. You can seek advice on designing and placing tactile signs from the RNIB.
Check if signs, labels etc can be used by assistive technology such as text to speak apps by downloading one such as Envision and scanning the text yourself.
Written materials:
Offer alternative forms of written materials on request e.g. large print (size 16) or Word documents (these are read more easily by assistive technology).
Use clear, sans-serif fonts such as Ariel.
Avoid italics or capital letters.
Only use underlining for links.
Use 1.5 line spacing where possible.
Avoid splitting important information such as names, phone numbers or postcodes across lines.
Add the phrase “end of document” at the very end of your document so screen readers know they’ve reached the end.
Websites and social media:
Use headings not just bold text.
For buttons and links, instead of “click here” use a description such as “read more on our website”.
Avoid using colour alone to make things stand out.
Use images carefully. Avoid using image only flyers as screen readers can’t read these. Make sure if the image is important i.e. not just decorative you use alt text. Alt text is a short description that a screen reader can read out. This video provides instructions for how and when to use alt text:
How to write good alt text - Making images accessible with alternative text
Test any websites or social media posts using the inbuilt reader on your web browser.
Other considerations:
Staff keeping an eye on customers as they move round the store and offering support such as selecting items or reading labels.
Offer to turn off lights, sources of noise if the environment is causing an issue or advertise a time of the week specifically when these factors are minimised e.g. quiet shopping
When having conversations make sure you are looking at the person you are speaking to and not covering your mouth. Check they can hear you and if not make an adjustment such as having the conversation in an area like the consulting room. Some customers may need you to speak louder but this is not always practical for privacy.
Consider providing verbal information in a written form if this helps the customer. This is also helpful for some types of invisible disability.
More information:
Making communication and environments accessible | RNIB
How to use braille for accessible information
Numark’s Discount Partners can supply matt laminating pouches (Lyreco)and signs in Braille (Footprint).