Deaf people matter

This Report has been compiled by Healthwatch Wakefield to: give an opportunity to service users to tell their story and give their experiences of health and social care services; raise awareness of the issues faced by Deaf and hard of hearing people in accessing and using health and social care services in Wakefield District; give service users information on their rights and what they should be able to expect; give an opportunity to service providers and commissioners to state how they ensure services are accessible to Deaf and hard of hearing people and publish those findings; give service users information on how they can complain if services are not accessible to them; offer suggestions on how services can make reasonable adjustments so that they can give equal access to Deaf and hard of hearing service users.

The Healthwatch Wakefield ‘Equality Mark’ for Deaf and hard of hearing service users was developed like a kite mark to show that services had made some reasonable adjustments to ensure Deaf and hard of hearing service users were able to access services. It can be found on page 23 of this Report. On publishing this report we will promote our findings and the equality mark with service providers, commissioners, the Care Quality Commission and the public.

Healthwatch Wakefield will also: Contact service providers and offer support for them to make reasonable adjustments and access training that is available in the District. Ask that each service provider makes a commitment to make at least one change in their services that makes them more accessible to Deaf and hard of hearing people. Offer to engage volunteers and service users in ‘reality checking’ the changes that they are able to implement. Encourage the Care Quality Commission locally to use Deaf people in their inspections as part of their ‘Experts by Experience’ programme. 5. Continue to champion equal access for Deaf and hard of hearing service users, along with all others who use services in our District.