Living with sensory loss in Lincolnshire: What you told us

What we set out to achieve

Sensory impairment affects people of all ages across Lincolnshire. National and local evidence shows that sight loss, hearing loss and dual sensory loss can increase the risk of reduced independence, social isolation and poorer wellbeing if services are not accessible.

Previous engagement activity across health, care and community services has highlighted ongoing barriers for people with sensory loss, including difficulties accessing appointments, communicating with services, and navigating health and care environments.

In response, Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) and HWLincs worked collaboratively to develop a clearer, shared understanding of these experiences, with the aim of identifying opportunities to improve accessibility, consistency and inclusion across the whole of the health and care system.

Why we decided to collaborate on this work

• We were all hearing similar concerns from people with sensory impairments across multiple engagement activities and recognised the need to bring these insights together into a more coordinated picture.
• We wanted a deeper understanding of lived experience, beyond existing reports and complaints data, to understand the day‑to‑day reality of accessing health and care services with sensory loss.
• Sensory impairment affects many parts of the system, so a joined‑up approach was essential to identify barriers and solutions that apply across NHS, public health, social care and community services.
• Inclusive engagement requires a wide range of skills and approaches – our approach was to offer a range of formats to broaden reach and accessibility.
• Reaching under‑represented communities needed collaboration with voluntary groups, community champions and organisations already supporting d/Deaf, blind, partially sighted and deafblind residents.
• Partners share legal duties under the Accessible Information Standard, making collaboration essential for understanding where improvements are needed and ensuring consistent practice across services.
• Working together supports system-wide recommendations, enabling one shared set of insights that can shape service improvement across the ICB, County Council and voluntary sector.

What we did

Between January and March 2026 we carried out a nine-week programme of engagement across Lincolnshire.

We:

• Received 322 survey responses
• Spoke with around 150 people through community conversations
• Visited 11 community groups across the county
• Conducted telephone interviews and received written feedback

Worked with sensory loss organisations, carers, advocates and community groups to ensure people could share their experiences in a way that suited them.

What you told us:

People told us that while they often value the care they receive, getting into services can be difficult.

Key themes included:

• Across services, people with sensory loss are not consistently recognised, recorded or responded to, resulting in avoidable exclusion, delayed care, and loss of independence. These barriers are systemic rather than individual and persist despite the Accessible Information Standard.
• Several examples raised potential safety and safeguarding concerns, including miscommunication about treatment, inability to understand medication instructions, and reliance on family members in confidential clinical discussions.
• Despite awareness of the Accessible Information Standard, community and survey feedback indicates inconsistent implementation across services, with accessibility adjustments often dependent on individual staff rather than embedded systems.
• Digital barriers were driven less by lack of digital capability and more by systems that were not designed or tested with people with sensory loss in mind.
• Barriers described in this report have direct implications for timely diagnosis, treatment adherence, and long‑term independence, increasing demand on carers, social care and urgent services.
• Where services worked well, common features included proactive staff support, clear communication choices, consistent recognition of needs, and environments designed with sensory accessibility in mind. These examples demonstrate that improvement is achievable within existing systems.

The difference it’s made

The engagement has provided one of the most comprehensive pictures of sensory loss experiences across Lincolnshire.

The findings have:

• Been shared with NHS Lincolnshire ICB and Lincolnshire County Council
• Improved understanding of barriers experienced by people with sensory loss
• Identified opportunities to improve accessibility, communication and service navigation
• Informed discussions about the future direction of sensory services in Lincolnshire.

Further work is being carried out and we hope to report here to the differences this work has made.

What’s next?

The findings are now being considered by NHS Lincolnshire ICB and Lincolnshire County Council and will help inform future planning and decision-making, including the future procurement of Lincolnshire Sensory Services.

We will continue to work with people with lived experience, carers, community groups and partners as this work progresses. Check back for future updates on how your feedback has helped shape services.

Thank you

We are incredibly grateful to the many community groups, charities, volunteers and partner organisations who opened their doors and helped us speak with people living with sensory loss across Lincolnshire. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and to the organisations that supported our visits and encouraged participation. Your time, honesty and support have helped create a much stronger understanding of what works well and where services can improve.