Today, the Government responded to Elizabeth Corbett’s petition again, which more than 11,000 people signed:
Fund more British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters in the emergency services – Petitions
We welcome the Government’s acknowledgement that deaf people who use BSL must be able to access healthcare and emergency services safely and effectively.
However, we are disappointed that the Government has decided not to introduce dedicated national funding for BSL interpreting support in emergency services. Instead, it says NHS organisations and emergency services should meet their existing duties, with responsibility resting with local organisations and commissioners. In practice, this means access to communication support will continue to depend on local priorities, creating a postcode lottery that can put deaf people’s safety, dignity and health outcomes at risk.
Deaf people should not have to fight for access to communication support during a medical emergency. They should not receive poorer care because appropriate interpreting arrangement are not in place, and they should not have to rely on family members or friends to communicate sensitive and complex information. Family members or friends are not trained interpreters and cannot be expected to provide the impartiality, accuracy and confidentiality that professional interpreters offer.
NHS organisations, Integrated Care Boards and ambulance trusts do not need to tackle these challenges alone. SignHealth can provide bespoke consultancy, training and service reviews to help identify gaps, improve accessibility and deliver better outcomes for deaf patients. We encourage services to work with us and take action now.
