Overview

We know through national research and local engagement that access to services for D/deaf patients is poor. In spite of this D/deaf people do not complain about their care and their experiences of health services.

What people told us

Here are some examples of people’s experiences of using health services

• People explained that an appointment for something relatively minor needs an interpreter just as much as for something major, but often NHS staff had suggested an interpreter wasn’t necessary for routine appointments.
• There was limited awareness that a lip-speaker service is available and can be requested and also limited understanding in the NHS of the difference between sign language and lip speaking.
• It was related that appointments were sometimes scheduled to suit the interpreter not the patient, due to work for example.

How we responded

We worked with Merseyside Society for Deaf People (MSDP), a local trusted charity, to provide a local solution. Through ongoing discussions we developed a reasonable adjustment and have commissioned MSDP to become a point of access for D/deaf people around complaints and patient experience. To support this, we commissioned a BSL video to signpost people to the charity for help, advice and support.

We are sharing this film with all services we commission including hospital services, general practice, community services and mental health teams to raise awareness with their patients too.

In addition we are monitoring all our providers via our quality contracts to ensure they deliver against regional deaf access report. All providers are currently developing equality objectives as part of their work around Equality Delivery System 2 toolkit around advancing equality of access for D/deaf people.

Watch the video that was created as part of this exercise