We've been shortlisted for improving care for D/deaf residents
The National Healthwatch Impact Award recognises outstanding examples where the views of local people have been used to make positive changes to local NHS and social care services.
We have been shortlisted for our work to make sure that D/deaf patients using GP and hospital services in our city are given a BSL interpreter if they ask for one.
After hearing from D/deaf patients in our community who’d been refused an interpreter, we shared these stories with GP practice managers and NHS primary care commissioners. We reminded them of their obligations under the Accessible Information Standard, and called for them to add a clause to GP contracts that would ensure they met those obligations.
Now, GP surgeries and Milton Keynes University Hospital have inclusive policies in place. Providing an interpreter is a contractual obligation, and patients who need one can make informed decisions about their treatment.
“Our small, dedicated team work hard to find out if health and care services are working for local people and, if they are not, to try and get services to fix the issues.
"Thanks to local people sharing with us their experiences, D/deaf patients are now less likely to feel dismissed, vulnerable and uninformed about their own health. Those who need BSL should no longer feel they are a ‘burden’ for just expressing their basic needs.” Maxine Taffetani, CEO
In total, 18 projects from across England are in the running for the National Healthwatch Impact Award.
The annual award highlights outstanding examples of where the views and experiences of local people has been used by their local Healthwatch to make care better. The finalist will be announced in March 2024.
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