Accessibility Statement

Our commitment

Rate My Care is committed to making our platform accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. We aim to comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA as our minimum standard.

Accessibility is not an afterthought for us — it is a core part of how we design and build the platform. Patient feedback should be easy to give and easy to act on, regardless of ability.

What we have done

We have taken the following steps to ensure the accessibility of our platform:

• Touch targets — all interactive elements (buttons, links, form controls) have a minimum touch target size of 44 × 44 pixels, meeting WCAG 2.5.5 requirements.
• Colour contrast — text and interactive elements maintain a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 against their background, meeting WCAG 1.4.3 requirements. Large text meets a minimum ratio of 3:1.
• Form labels and instructions — all form fields have visible labels and clear instructions. Error messages identify the field in error and describe how to correct it.
• Keyboard navigation — all functionality is accessible using a keyboard alone. Focus indicators are visible and follow a logical tab order.
• Reading level — patient-facing content is written at a reading age of 9–11, in line with NHS content design guidance. We avoid jargon and use plain English throughout.
• Voice recording — patients can submit feedback using voice recording as an alternative to typing, supporting those with motor or literacy difficulties.
• Zoom and text resizing — the platform supports browser zoom up to 200% without loss of content or functionality. Text can be resized without breaking the layout.
• Alternative text — all meaningful images and icons include descriptive alt text. Decorative images are marked as presentational so screen readers skip them.

Known limitations

While we strive for full accessibility, we are aware of the following limitations:

• Some older PDF documents uploaded by NHS Trusts may not be fully accessible. We encourage Trusts to upload accessible documents where possible.
• Third-party embedded content (e.g. video players) may have their own accessibility limitations beyond our control.
• Some complex data visualisations in the analytics dashboard may not be fully accessible to screen readers. We provide tabular data alternatives where possible.

We are actively working to address these limitations and improve accessibility across the platform.

Alternative ways to access our service

If you cannot use our digital platform, you can still provide feedback or contact us through the following channels:

• By phone — contact the relevant NHS Trust's PALS team directly.
• In person — visit the PALS office at your local NHS Trust.
• By post — write to the PALS team at the Trust where you received care.
• By email — contact us at info@ratemycare.com and we will assist you.

Reporting accessibility issues

If you find any part of our platform difficult to use due to an accessibility issue, we want to know. Please contact us with:

• A description of the problem you encountered.
• The page or feature where you experienced the issue.
• The device, browser, and any assistive technology you were using.

Contact us at info@ratemycare.com. We aim to respond to accessibility reports within 5 working days and to resolve issues as quickly as possible.

Enforcement

This statement has been prepared in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

If you are not satisfied with our response to your accessibility concern, you can contact the Equality Advisory Support Service (EASS):

• Website: equalityadvisoryservice.com
• Phone: 0808 800 0082

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the accessibility regulations. The EASS can advise you on your rights and the options available to you.