Deaf Focus Group
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Healthwatch Sandwell explored whether health and care services in Sandwell are meeting the communication needs of individuals with a disability, impairment or sensory loss. In this report, they engaged with the d/Deaf community, speaking to 5 people in a focus group.
They found that deaf people preferred face to face appointments with health and social care providers but they experience barriers due to a lack of BSL interpreter being provided and that BSL is not recognised as a language.
It was unclear who’s responsibility it was to book a BSL and family and support workers were relied upon to interpret although they are not qualified interpreters and it was not their role. When an interpreter was not available people were expected to lip read or read written English.
The respondents believe that the lack of access to a BSL interpreter were due to cuts in spending, and that their human rights under Equality Act (2010) and Accessible information standards (2016) were being denied. They described feeling ‘double disadvantaged’ and that experienced poor attitudes towards booking an interpreter. The use of discriminatory language was described and that all these issues can affect mental health.
Respondents described their experiences of using telephone, Video Relay Service, text , video consultations, e mail and support at appointments which were all fraught with challenges.
The group were asked to rate the actual services, the participants rated GPs, Dentists, Pharmacies etc in various ways ranging from poor to average to good. Overall the respondents rated their experience of Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust (Hospitals) set of Care Standards, known as the ‘fundamentals of care’ as negative. All agreed the standards are not being met based on their experiences.
Participants made recommendations to improve accessibility for Deaf and hard of hearing people which included:
Record a person’s needs especially the need for a BSL interpreter and take responsibility for arranging a BSL interpreter, recognise that BSL is a first language and don’t assume people can lip read.