Accessibility Statement
Accessibility statement for NHS Shetland’s website
This accessibility statement applies to https://www.nhsshetland.scot/
This website is run by NHS Shetland. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. We are always working to make our website as accessible and usable as possible.
For example, that means you should be able to:
• change colours, contrast levels and fonts
• zoom in up to 300% without the text spilling off the screen
• navigate most of the website using just a keyboard
• navigate most of the website using speech recognition software
• listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver and TalkBack)
We’ve also made the website text as simple as possible to understand.
How accessible this website is
We have made several improvements since the website was first launched, such as adding underlines to all text links as a default, improving the contrast ratios between text and coloured backgrounds and trying to ensure that all of the site's functions can be operated by using the keyboard.
However we know some parts of this website are not fully accessible:
- Some of our online forms are difficult to navigate when using a screen reader
- Some of the PDF documents are not fully accessible to screen reader software
- Some of our headings and alternative text for images need attention
- There are some redundant links
Feedback and contact information
If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille, please contact our Communications team:
• shet.communications@nhs.scot
• 0300 3657167
We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 10 working days.
Reporting accessibility problems with this website
We are always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact our Communications team:
• shet.communications@nhs.scot
• 0300 3657167
Enforcement procedure
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’). If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).
Technical information about this website's accessibility
NHS Shetland is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
Compliance status
This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below. (Note: these are the main areas of non-compliance.)
Non accessible content
The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.
Non compliance with the accessibility regulations
- Some images and buttons do not have a label or text alternative, so people using a screen reader cannot access the information. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.1.1 (non-text content).
We plan to add text alternatives for all non-decorative images and buttons. (The WCAG criteria makes a distinction about non-text content that is “pure decoration” and “used only for visual formatting”, so long as it is implemented in a way that it can be ignored by assistive technology like screen readers.) We are working through the existing pages and plan to fix this problem by May 2025.
When we publish new content we will ensure our use of non-decorative images meets accessibility standards.
- Some of our videos do not have accurate captions. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.2.2 (captions (prerecorded)).
All our videos are first uploaded to YouTube, which has a system of automatically captioning videos. Sometimes the captions do not accurately capture what the people in the videos are saying. We are working through our existing videos to try and make sure the captions are edited so that they are correct and plan to fix this problem by May 2025.
When we publish new videos, we will endeavour to make sure the captions are edited so that they are correct.
- There are a small number of instances where the structure used stops the screen reader reading out what a user with good vision would be able to see, and in the right order. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.1 (info and relationships).
We are working through the issues and plan to fix these by May 2025.
- Some information does not have a meaningful sequence when accessed through a screen reader. This fails success criterion 1.3.2 (meaningful sequence).
The ‘previous’ and ‘next’ buttons at the bottom of the website read right to left rather than left to right. We will seek to rectify this by May 2025 and when we publish new content we will ensure each page has a meaningful sequence.
- On occasion if a website user is navigating sequentially with the use of a keyboard there is information that does not present in an order that is consistent with the meaning of the content. This fails success criterion 2.4.3 (focus order).
We intend to rectify this by May 2025.
- For some pages, link text is not provided and there are some redundant links. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.4.4 (link purpose (in context).
We are working through the existing pages where these issues occur and will ensure that all links have link text. We will also ensure there are no redundant links. We plan to fix this problem by May 2025.
When we publish new content we will make sure our link text meets accessibility standards.
- On occasion the contrast ratio between text and background is not enough. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.3 (contrast (minimum)).
Wherever possible we will try to achieve a contrast ratio between text and background of at least 4.5:1.
When we publish new content we will try to ensure our contrast ratio always meets accessibility standards.
- There are two instances where enlarging text does not produce the desired result. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.10 (reflow).
We will ensure that when browser zoom is used to scale content to 400% it reflows so it is not necessary to scroll in more than one direction.
When we publish new content we will try to ensure we meet accessibility standards on all platforms.
Disproportionate burden
Our website currently houses many PDFs and documents produced after 23 September 2018 and some of these do not meet elements of the WCAG 2.1 criteria including WCAG 2.4.2 (page titled), WCAG 3.1.1 (language of page), WCAG 1.3.1 (information and relationships) and WCAG 1.1.1 (non-text content). We have assessed the cost of fixing the issues and we believe that doing so would be a disproportionate burden within the meaning of the accessibility regulations.
PDFs and Word documents on the website are essential to providing our services. For example, we have PDFs with information on how users can access our services, and forms published as Word documents. Going forward, from March 2025, we will add information to our website as accessible HTML content wherever possible. We are exploring ways to make essential PDFs and documents more accessible, and plan to have a solution moving forwards by May 2025.
Content that is not within the scope of the accessibility regulations
PDFs and other documents
Some of our older PDFs, Excel spreadsheets and Word documents do not meet accessibility standards - for example, they may not be structured so they are accessible to a screen reader. This does not meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 4.1.2 (name, role value).
The accessibility regulations do not require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they are not essential to providing our services. For example, we do not plan to fix:
• Excel spreadsheets
• Annual reports (PDF)
• Information about other organisations or their work.
Preparation of this accessibility statement
This statement was prepared on 28.02.25.
This website was last tested in February 2025. The test was carried out by Ten10 ltd. They validated the website using the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2 Level AA.