People who are deaf or have hearing loss face significant and avoidable barriers when accessing NHS healthcare services in the UK, including understanding information, managing their health, and participating in treatment decisions.
We estimate these failings affect over 10 million people across the UK.
Unmet communication needs have significant negative consequences, such as avoiding seeking help, delayed or incorrect diagnosis, failure to understand a diagnosis, lack of access to care, and reduced confidence in healthcare systems and providers.
Unmet communication needs
- 70% of deaf people and people with hearing loss had never been asked about their information and communication needs when accessing NHS care in England (RNID and SignHealth 2025 – Policy report, England PDF)
- More than half (54%) of people in England who are deaf or have hearing loss have had to rely on either a partner, family member or friend to relay information or interpret for them at a healthcare appointment (RNID and SignHealth 2025 – Policy report, England PDF).
- In Wales, 35% of patients say they have been denied the information and communication support they need, with 56% having to rely on a partner, family member, or friend to interpret or relay information (RNID and SignHealth 2025 – Policy report, Wales PDF).
Impacts
- People in England who have not had their information and communication needs met report a range of impacts, including giving up trying to make an appointment (47%), missing an appointment (21%), or a delayed or incorrect diagnosis (23%) (RNID and SignHealth 2025 – Policy report, England PDF).
- Unmet communication needs also result in failure to understand a diagnosis (33%), the outcome of appointments (33%), or how to take prescribed medication or treatment (25%) (RNID 2025 – Policy report, England PDF).
Explore more evidence on access to healthcare
Experiences of inaccessible healthcare
“We have to find ways to improve services so that they cater for deaf people’s communication needs.”