Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag
Built in the NHS Spine to enable health and care professionals to record, share and view details of Reasonable Adjustments required for individuals across the NHS.
About this standard
- Publisher
- NHS England
- Reference code
- DAPB4019 Amd 77/2020
- Publication date
- 12/09/2023
- Status
- Active
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Active. Active standards are stable, maintained and have been approved, assured or endorsed for use by qualified bodies.
Deprecated Deprecated standards are available for use and are maintained, but are being phased out, so new functionality will not be added.
Retired standards Retired standards are not being maintained or supported and should not be used.
- Standard type
- Technical standards and specifications
Show definitions of standard types
Collections. A Collection is a systematic gathering of a specified selection of data or information for a particular stated purpose from existing records held within health and care systems and electronic devices.
Extractions. An extraction is a type of collection that is pulled from an operational system by the data controller and transmitted to the receiver without additional processing or transcription by the sender.
Information standards. Information standards are agreed ways of doing something, written down as a set of precise criteria so they can be used as rules, guidelines, or definitions.
Technical Standards and specifications. Technical standards and specifications specify how to make information available technically including how the data is structured and transported.
- Contact point
- Please include “Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag” in the subject line.
Link to standard
- Documentation
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- Applies to
- All providers of NHS care or treatment
- All providers of publicly funded social care
- Social care or services bodies (in their role as service providers)
- Independent contractors providing NHS services including primary medical service
- Independent Healthcare Provider Network Organisations
- NHS Foundation Trusts and NHS Trusts
- Providers of NHS and / or social care from the voluntary and community or privat
- Providers of public health services, including advice and information
- Impacts on
- Implementation of this information standard impacts all health IT systems suppliers providing systems to the above providers; suppliers should work with their customers to determine necessary changes.
- Associated medias
The websites below provide key documents, reports, summaries, and resources such as training materials, implementation guidance, checklists, and further resources to support services, organisations, and local areas.
- Conformance date
- 30/06/2024
- Effective from
- 12/09/2023
Topics and care settings
- Topic
- Appointment / scheduling
- Clinical decision support
- Continuity of care
- Key care information
- Patient communication
- Referrals
- Care setting
- Community health
- Dentistry
- Hospital
- Maternity
- Mental health
- Pharmacy
- Social care
- Urgent and Emergency Care
Dependencies and related standards
- Dependencies
- Related standards
Review Information
- Scope
- Health Services, NHS Services, Adult Social Care
- Sponsor
Nicola Easey, Head of Health Improvement Learning Disability & Autism, NHS England.
- Senior Responsible Officer
- Business Change and overall accountability – Nicola Easey, Head of Health Improvement Learning Disability & Autism, NHS England.
- Technical – Ciaron Hoye, Chief Information Officer - Primary Care GP Provider Support Unit, NHS Birmingham and Solihull.
- Business Lead
- Dr Hannah Brown, GP and SME for the Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag, NHS England and Ponteland Medical Group, Northumbria Primary Care.
- Approval date
- 27/07/2023
- Post Implementation review Date
- 30/06/2025
Legal basis and endorsements
- Legal authority
Section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012
This information standard is published under section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
More information
Under the Equality Act 2010, organisations have a legal duty to make changes in their approach or provision, called reasonable adjustments, to ensure that services are as accessible to people with disabilities as they are for everyone else. This duty aims to address the recognition that people with disabilities may have equal access to care and services, but without specific adjustments being made, that access may not be equitable.
NHS England has built the Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag in the NHS Spine to enable health and care professionals to record, share and view details of Reasonable Adjustments across the NHS, wherever the person is treated. The flag indicates that Reasonable Adjustments are required for an individual and optionally includes details of their significant impairments, underlying conditions and key adjustments that should be considered.
The flag aims to enable:
- Clear identification of all patients for whom Reasonable Adjustments may be required.
- Identification of patients with impairments including learning disability or autism (and all other relevant key impairments).
- Identification and sharing of key adjustments that will help a care episode go well or happen at all.
- Ubiquitous, consistent visibility and structure of the information – wherever a patient is treated in health and care.
- Identification and maintenance of the information recorded and shared through the Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag in conjunction with the wishes of patients and carers - leading to tailored, personalised care.
Implementation of this Standard will follow a phased approach.
- Phase one conformance: 31 March 2024
- Phase two conformance: 30 June 2024
Therefore, full conformance is expected by 30 June 2024.
Page last updated: 11 March 2024