Deaf Health Talk

A blog for deaf people to tell us about their experiences of visiting their doctor or hospital

SignHealth is the national health charity for deaf people and is trying to change the system to make it easier for deaf people to communicate with health care professionals in a way that is right for them.  We talk with people at the Department of Health. We regularly contact people at all levels of the health service. But change will only happen if more deaf people work with us to make it happen.

• Bad time at doctor’s?

• No interpreter?

• Doctor will not write things down?

• Have to go to doctor’s to make appointment?

• Doctor very good at communicating?

• Let us know!

SignHealth recently published a report which showed for the first time the difference in service experienced by deaf people when seeing their doctor.  It showed that deaf people make more appointments with their GP; they suffer more ill health generally and are less satisfied with many aspects of the service they receive.

Deaf people have the right to communication support when accessing health services.  But we know that this is rarely available, especially when appointments are made at short notice.

We want to hear about deaf people’s experiences when accessing health services either at the doctors or in hospital.  So, if you have struggled with communication or found it difficult to get an interpreter, let us know.  If you find it difficult to make an appointment yourself or if you have to have a member of your family with you on such occasions, we want to hear about it.

You might be a friend of a deaf person or a family member, so you may also have something to tell us about.

With this information, we can make things improve.