This review identified widespread barriers preventing equitable access to healthcare services for deaf people and people with hearing loss in the UK. This section covers: Attitudes and awareness of communication needs Digital tools and technology Assisted listening systems Deaf awareness British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters A survey of NHS patients in England found that 74% of sign language users, 76% of people...
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
Audiologists and clinic managers should review whether their services provide functioning assisted listening systems, staff Deaf-awareness training, and accessible digital communication options — gaps in all these areas are evidenced here.
Detailing the specific communication failure modes — attitudes, technology, and awareness — gives audiologists and service managers a concrete checklist of areas needing remediation across NHS settings.
- 01Covers four domains: staff attitudes, digital tools, assisted listening systems, and Deaf awareness.
- 02Identifies gaps in both technological and human/cultural dimensions of communication access.
- 03Part of RNID's larger rapid evidence review series on NHS access.
- 04Relevant to any clinic or NHS service seeing deaf or hard-of-hearing patients.
- 05Highlights that problems are systemic rather than isolated to individual providers.
Negative staff attitudes contribute to unmet communication needs for deaf and hearing-loss patients in NHS settings.
studypartially supportedAssisted listening systems in NHS settings are frequently inadequate or unavailable.
studypartially supportedDigital tools for communication support are underutilised or inaccessible in NHS healthcare.
studypartially supported