Making your GP surgery accessible

People with hearing loss often face barriers to communication when they visit their GP. But there’s plenty you can do to remove these obstacles so that your patients can:

• contact your surgery more confidently
• communicate well during appointments
• fully understand the information you give them

Provide a range of contact methods

People with hearing loss may find it difficult or impossible to communicate by telephone.

This can make it difficult to do things like book appointments, order repeat prescriptions and get test results.

Offer different contact methods, such as:

• email
• online booking
• SMS text messaging
• live webchat
• Relay UK, a free service where a relay assistant will type what you’re saying to the person with hearing loss
• a British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service, such as Convo or SignVideo

Before contacting someone by phone, check their records for any flags about communication needs.

Make reception and waiting areas accessible

When a patient arrives, make it visually clear where and how they should check in.

Consider background noise and lighting

Make sure the lighting is good enough for patients to see staff’s lip patterns and facial expressions.

Reduce background noise as much as possible, or move to a quieter area when speaking to patients with hearing loss.

Use assistive technologies

Install technologies such as:

• a hearing loop system for patients who use hearing aids
• visual display systems or vibrating pagers that let patients know when it’s their turn to be seen

Be aware that patients may want to use their own devices to communicate, such as speech-to-text apps on their phone or tablet.

Check communication needs

Check patients’ records for flags about their communication needs, and take action to meet their needs.

If there are no flags recorded, be proactive and ask the patient what they need.

Here’s an example of what you could say:

Do you have any communication needs or preferences?

Record communication needs

When a patient shares their needs, make sure to add this to their record.

This should be linked to a flag or alert that will prompt staff to take action when they book appointments in future.

Use the Reasonable Adjustments Digital Flag, or the equivalent system in your area.

Book communication support in advance

Some patients may need professional communication support, such as a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter or a notetaker.

Book as far ahead as possible, as it can be difficult to book communication professionals at short notice.

Check if your service has a process for booking communication support or a contract with a specific agency. If not, consider putting a new process in place.

You can also search for registered communication professionals on:

• the National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People
• the Scottish Register of Language Professionals with the Deaf Community

Confirm the booking with the patient in advance of their appointment, so they have reassurance that their needs will be met.

Book a longer appointment for patients who need communication support, because it may take extra time to make sure all the information is interpreted.

Do not rely on family or friends to interpret

This limits the patient’s autonomy and privacy, and there’s a risk that the information will not be correctly translated.

More resources for accessible communication