Access Compass

Access Compass guide

Hospital passports & reasonable adjustments (incl. procedures, sedation, blood tests)

A hospital passport helps hospital staff understand your needs when you have a learning disability or autism. Learn how to create one and get support from hospital liaison teams.

Published by Access Compass · How we research and check guides

Who it's for: Parents & carers, Children & young people, Adults

Not yet verified Last checked 16 Jul 2026. Review due 15 Aug 2026. Always confirm details with the service before relying on them.

Visual explanations

These diagrams use real text, so the same complete information can be zoomed, selected, read aloud and printed.

Comparison guide · full text built in

Health documents: what each one does

  1. Annual health check

    • Information
      A yearly primary-care check

      For eligible people with a learning disability, this reviews health, medicines, screening and unmet needs. It is an appointment, not the emergency information document.

  2. Health action plan

    • Outcome
      Actions after a health review

      Records health priorities, agreed actions, responsible people and follow-up. Ask for an accessible copy.

  3. Hospital passport

    • Support
      How to support the person in hospital

      Summarises communication, reasonable adjustments, health risks, distress signs, medication and what helps. Keep it current and bring it to hospital.

  4. Healthcare or clinical care plan

    • Decision
      Condition-specific management

      Sets out treatment, monitoring, medication, emergency actions and responsibilities in a setting such as school, home or a health service.

Printable and zoomable: this is structured text, not an image.

Step by step

  1. What is a hospital passport?

    A hospital passport is a document that explains important information about a person with a learning disability or autism – such as how they communicate, their health needs, medication, likes and dislikes – so hospital staff can provide the right care. Northampton General Hospital uses passports to make reasonable adjustments and ask that carers bring one to appointments.

  2. Create or update your passport

    Download a template from Mencap or your hospital's website and fill it out with the person you care for. Include details about communication, allergies, pain, anxiety triggers, how they express consent, and emergency contacts. Keep multiple copies and update it regularly.

  3. Contact the Learning Disability Liaison Team

    Before your hospital visit, call the Learning Disability Liaison Team at Northampton General Hospital on 01604 545431 or email ngh-tr.learningdisabilityngh@nhs.net. They can plan reasonable adjustments, advise staff and help you prepare.

  4. During and after your stay

    Give the passport to ward staff; keep it by the patient's bed and remind new staff to read it. After your visit, update the passport if anything has changed and share feedback with hospital liaison teams to improve services.

Source: https://www.northamptongeneral.nhs.uk/Patients-and-Visitors/Learning-disability-support.aspx

Health, therapies & wellbeing

Suggest an update to this guide