Accessibility

The target

This site aims to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 at level AA.

That is a target and a working method, not a certification. No outside body has audited this site.

What is built in

It works without JavaScript. Every page renders and every link works with scripting turned off. The compact menu is a native disclosure element rather than a scripted panel.
A skip link is the first thing keyboard focus reaches on every page.
Semantic structure. One level-one heading per page, headings in order, real landmarks, real buttons, and real links.
Visible focus. A high-contrast focus ring on every interactive element, and no sticky element that can cover the focused item.
Contrast. Normal text meets or exceeds a ratio of 4.5 to 1 against its background, and meaningful graphics and controls meet or exceed 3 to 1.
Never colour alone. Verification states, review states, and evidence verdicts all carry a word as well as a colour.
Reflow. Content works down to a 320 pixel viewport width without horizontal scrolling, and at 200 percent zoom.
Reduced motion. Where a preference for reduced motion is set, transitions are removed. There is no animation carrying information anywhere on the site.
Tables. Captions, header cells with scope, and a stacked layout on narrow screens where each value keeps its column label.
Charts. Every figure has a prose summary and an accessible data table with the same numbers.
Links. Descriptive link text rather than "click here", and external destinations announced with the host name.
Print. A print stylesheet that keeps headings, source links, safety panels, and review dates, and expands link addresses.

Testing

Automated accessibility checks run in continuous integration against the built pages, and a failure blocks a release.
Keyboard-only navigation is exercised on every page type.
Screen reader checks use NVDA on Windows and a mobile screen reader.
Zoom, reflow, contrast, and reduced-motion behaviour are checked at each release.
Automated checks catch a minority of accessibility problems. They do not replace the manual passes, and this site does not treat a green automated result as a pass.

Known gaps

Stated plainly, because a statement that claims no gaps is usually not true.

No professionally translated Spanish content yet. For a health topic this is an access barrier, and it is on the roadmap rather than being treated as optional. Machine translation will not be published as a substitute.
No audio or video versions of any page.
No independent audit has been carried out.
External destinations vary. Official sources, helplines, and provider search services are run by other organisations, and this site cannot control their accessibility. Where a route to help is difficult to use, that is worth reporting to them and to this site.

Alternate formats

If a page here is not usable for you, a plain text or large print version of it can be prepared on request. There is no charge and no eligibility test.

Requests are answered as quickly as the routes on the contact page allow, and a request that concerns urgent safety information is prioritised.

Reporting a barrier

Report it through the routes on the contact page. Useful detail: the page address, what you were trying to do, what happened, and what you were using, such as a browser, a screen reader, or a zoom level.

Barriers affecting safety and urgent-help information are treated as priority one and are handled the same day, on the same basis as a safety correction.