In 2021/22, Healthwatch Norfolk was commissioned by the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (then known as the Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group) to explore how digital technology could help improve access to primary care for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing.
You can read that report here.
Based on this research, we developed the Hearing Loss and Deaf-Friendly Practice Charter (HLC) – a practical guide for GP surgeries, offering ways to make primary care more accessible for patients affected by hearing loss.
Three years on, we wanted to understand what progress has been made. Specifically, we set out to explore whether GP staff and those with hearing loss are aware of the charter, and whether barriers remain for Deaf and hard of hearing people accessing care.
Our findings show that awareness of the HLC remains low among both those with hearing loss and GP practice staff. As a result, it is unlikely that the charter is being consistently implemented across primary care settings. Our survey also highlighted that significant barriers to accessibility still exist for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing when accessing GP services. Common issues included difficulty booking appointments, not knowing when a clinician is ready to see them and a continued reliance on inaccessible communication methods.
However, there were also some positive experiences shared. Several Deaf and hard of hearing respondents reported that their GP practice had taken steps to improve accessibility, such as offering assistive technology. This was echoed by reception staff, who mentioned digital tools including hearing loops, visual display screens and recording that patients are Deaf in their record.
