A new report into accessible healthcare for people living with hearing loss has revealed that less than a quarter of NHS staff feel they can meet deaf people’s communication needs.
Published by the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) and the deaf health charity, SignHealth, the report looks into the extent to which the Accessible Information Standard (AIS) is being implemented within healthcare settings.
What is the AIS?
The AIS is a legal requirement for health and social care organisations to provide accessible information and communication support to patients and service users who have a need relating to a disability or sensory loss.
In the case of those with hearing loss, this might include being supported by a communication professional at appointments, such as a British Sign Language interpreter, or showing consideration that patients might be lip-reading or using a hearing aid.
Whilst complying with the AIS is mandatory for NHS organisations, only 24% of NHS staff in the survey said they can always meet the information and communication needs of deaf patients and nearly a third said they were unaware of the AIS.
The report also reveals that 7 out of 10 people with hearing loss have never been asked about their communication needs when accessing NHS care, and around half of sign language users reported not having understood their diagnosis or how their treatment worked.
Important equality issue
The report concluded that ‘the NHS does not have the systems in place to fulfil the right to accessible healthcare for people who are deaf or have hearing loss…clearly violating the rights set out in the Equality Act over 15 years ago’.
Louise Ansari, chief executive at Healthwatch England, said: “Everyone should receive healthcare in a format they can understand.
“People who have sensory impairments and learning disabilities have been waiting too long for the NHS to meet their communications needs, which are underpinned by the Equality Act.
“We have asked the government to strengthen legislation to ensure the NHS fully complies with the standard and we urge ministers to publicly confirm their commitment to address this important equality, safety, communication and patient experience issue.”
