Sophie Wellington discusses the important work BSL Health Access has been doing throughout the pandemic, and why it is vital that this service continues to be funded.
Back in March 2020, the first national lockdown for the UK began. The Deaf health charity SignHealth were quick to notice the new barriers to accessing health care for d/Deaf people. With GPs putting a stop to face-to-face appointments, the d/Deaf community had to somehow navigate appointments and advice over the phone. In collaboration with InterpreterNow, SignHealth founded BSL Health Access, a free, 24/7 interpreter service for use in all health care settings.
Over the year, BSL Health Access has facilitated more than 25,000 conversations between d/Deaf individuals and health care professionals. This has predominantly been in assisting over-the-phone appointments and discussions, but also facilitating conversations at the hospital.
After investing more than £800,000 of their own resources, SignHealth can no longer afford to keep this service running. NHS England have covered all costs from December to now, but this will be stopped from April 2021. Therefore, BSL Health Access has no choice but to close down. The effects of the coronavirus pandemic are far from over, and the communication barriers between the d/Deaf and hard of hearing community and others will be even more prominent. It is vital that those who use BSL as a first language or rely on lip-reading are able to talk openly over the phone or at hospital to doctors and nurses.
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