RNID uses evidence to inform our work to change the lives of individuals, systems and services, and society and public attitudes. This policy statement draws on insights from our evidence review, Clear Signals report (2026) and our work with deaf people and people with hearing loss to explore the changes we want to see, and how we can make that a reality. Read our report on public transport accessibility ....
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
No actionable change for clinical practice; this is a public-policy advocacy document relevant to awareness of patient daily-life barriers, not clinical decision-making.
Accessible transport is a key social determinant of quality of life for people with hearing loss, and formal policy advocacy by a major hearing charity can drive system-level change that affects patients' independence and wellbeing.
- 01RNID released a formal policy statement on making public transport accessible for deaf and hard-of-hearing people.
- 02Recommendations are evidence-based, drawing on the 2026 Clear Signals report.
- 03Targets transport providers and policymakers rather than healthcare practitioners.
- 04Highlights systemic barriers such as audio-only announcements and inaccessible ticketing.
- 05Part of a broader RNID campaign to improve inclusion for people with hearing loss in daily life.
Public transport poses significant accessibility barriers for deaf people and those with hearing loss, as documented in the Clear Signals report (2026).
guidelinepartially supported