It’s vital that people who are deaf or have hearing loss can access urgent and emergency care services and receive the same quality of care as everyone else.
Offer alternative contact methods
Telephone-based helplines or consultations may be inaccessible for people who are deaf or have hearing loss.
NHS professionals, out-of-hours GP staff and NHS call centre advisors should be aware of the different ways people may wish to contact them and make sure appropriate support is provided.
For example, this could include email, SMS text, textphones, the Relay UK service or British Sign Language (BSL) video relay.
If a patient’s phone number starts with 03306 or 07777, this means that they use the Relay UK service to receive calls on a textphone or through the Relay UK on their smartphone, tablet or computer.
People who are deaf or have hearing loss should not have to rely on family members, friends or carers to speak on their behalf, unless they want their help to communicate.
Provide support to communicate with ambulance services
Paramedics and other ambulance staff should follow simple tips for good communication.
They should also be aware of communication cards and other tools people who are deaf or have hearing loss may use to help them communicate face-to-face.
Ask about communication needs
Hospitals, urgent care centres or walk-in centres should establish a clear process to ask people what support they need and make sure appropriate communication support is provided.
Communication needs should be recorded and flagged on patient records.
In England, this a legal requirement under the Accessible Information Standard (AIS).
Provide communication support
For face-to-face contact, NHS staff should follow simple communication tips:
- get the person’s attention before speaking to them
- face the person and speak clearly to enable lipreading
- be patient and make sure the person understands the information
People who are deaf or have hearing loss should be notified when it’s their turn to seen, and should not have to rely on their name being called out in waiting areas.
If a patient needs professional communication support, such as a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter, book this in advance wherever possible.
If communication professionals are unavailable at short notice, some people who are deaf or have hearing loss may benefit from a video relay service, where a conversation is translated remotely via a video call.
Family members, friends and carers should not be used instead of communication professionals, unless the person explicitly asks for their help to communicate.
Support patients with hearing aids
NHS staff working on hospital wards should be aware of the needs of patients who use hearing aids. Record the type of hearing aid and the accessories they may need – for example, replacement batteries or tubing – on the patient’s notes or care plan.
Patients may need ongoing support to look after their hearing aids and get the most out of them.
NHS staff should also be aware of technology such as hearing loops and personal listeners that can improve communication.