Not equal: the experiences of deaf people accessing health and social care in Sheffield

Healthwatch Sheffield, working with Citizens Advice Sheffield and Disability Sheffield, investigated the experiences of Deaf people accessing health and social care services. The review found that Deaf people faced persistent barriers to equal access, particularly around communication and the provision of British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters. Feedback gathered from around 75 participants showed that these were not isolated incidents but recurring problems across health and social care settings. 

Participants reported that communication needs were often not recorded, flagged or shared between services, despite the legal requirements of the Accessible Information Standard. Common concerns included interpreters not being booked, appointments being cancelled because interpreters were unavailable, lack of confirmation in appointment letters, poor access to text or email communication, and staff having limited awareness of Deaf people's needs. Many people described feeling excluded from their own healthcare and having to rely on family members or support workers to communicate on their behalf. 

The report found that implementation of the Accessible Information Standard was inconsistent. Deaf people reported difficulties accessing emergency care, outpatient appointments, mental health services and social care. SignLive video interpreting was seen as a useful backup in some situations but was not considered an appropriate replacement for face-to-face interpreters in complex consultations. Participants also highlighted barriers to providing feedback or making complaints, with concerns processes often inaccessible to people who use BSL as their first language. 

Healthwatch concluded that significant improvements were needed to ensure Deaf people could access services on an equal basis. Key recommendations included fully implementing the Accessible Information Standard, improving interpreter booking systems, expanding text and email communication, increasing Deaf awareness training for staff, involving Deaf people in monitoring interpreting services, and making complaints procedures accessible in BSL. The report stressed that addressing these issues would benefit not only Deaf people, but also others with hearing loss, sensory impairments and additional communication needs.