THE DEAF and hard of hearing in Worcestershire should benefit from improved patient experiences thanks to the implementation of news tools and information to help communication between patients and healthcare professionals.
Worcestershire Acute Hospital Trust (WAHT), which runs the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch and Worcestershire Royal Hospital, has been getting involved in Deaf Awareness Week by sparking conversations among staff about some of the challenges faced by the deaf community when accessing hospital care.
New machines, called ‘WoWs’ or ‘Wordskii on Wheels’, are being trialled in emergency departments across the trust to connect patients with an interpreter who can use British Sign Language (BSL) to translate conversations with clinical members of staff.
Workskii on Wheels machines can be used on demand, 24 hours a day and seven days a week, translating conversations within minutes. WoWs can also invite additional consultants or family members into the conversation.
Communication cards and posters across the hospitals will also give deaf and hard of hearing patients at WAHT the ability to check whether an interpreter has been booked for their visit.
The Trust has also been working in partnership with the local deaf community across Herefordshire and Worcestershire to produce videos in BSL, including important public health messages.
National Deaf Awareness week, was organised by National Deaf Children’s Society and ran from May 1 to 7.
The week focused on the theme of deaf inclusion, highlighting how hearing loss impacts daily life and how others can help support deaf people in an effort to understand how being deaf brings unique challenges that not everyone will experience.
Dr Baljinder Singh, consultant in emergency medicine, said: “A deaf patient’s care in ED is affected by unique barriers and difficulties, particularly when an interpreter could not previously be arranged in a timely way.
“This latest improvement is a result of the Trust’s ongoing engagement with the local deaf community and it’s fantastic to see these units being introduced, enabling our teams to better support our patients with different communication needs.
“The WoW machine at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, named ’Nemo’, was used for a patient within 24 hours of its installation. This is a brilliant example of putting our patients first.”
Head of patient, carer and public engagement, Anna Sterckx said: “We know that deaf patients can face a number of difficulties when accessing healthcare services.
“Over the last few months we’ve been working with our staff to raise awareness of some of these challenges and provide tools to support our d/Deaf community.
“For patients, these include a ‘Deaf Communication Card’ which will support patients coming into hospital.
“The card indicates that the patient communicates using BSL and includes the contact details for the Trust’s interpreting service.
“For colleagues, we have hosted a series of training and awareness events to encourage a greater understanding of deafness and learn more about the available resources and BSL booking process.
“By sharing their experiences, the d/Deaf community has greatly assisted us with these initiatives. Their involvement will benefit patients and support our colleagues in their efforts to deliver high standards of care and put patients first.”
Contact Anna Sterckx on: [email protected] If you or anyone you know would benefit from a Deaf Communication Card.
