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SignTranslate wins technology award

SignTranslate, the wholly owned subsidiary of SignHealth, has won a BT-sponsored award for innovation in UK healthcare. This is recognition of the charity's ground breaking translation programme aimed at improving communications for Deaf people in Hospitals.

The BT E-Health Insider Awards were presented in London at the Millennium Mayfair Hotel on 17th November. SignTranslate won the award in the Healthcare ICT product innovation category.

SignHealth Chief Executive Steve Powell said today, "We are very proud of the achievement of our SignTranslate team in gaining this award. To demonstrate our total commitment to improving healthcare and access to health services for all Deaf people, we have offered this program free of charge for one year to GP practices. We hope that all Deaf people will start to ask their GP for SignTranslate to be available in their surgery."

As well as BSL, the program provides spoken and written translations for 12 foreign languages. It is the only internet based translation tool of its kind in the UK. Visit <a href="http://www.signtranslate.com" target="_blank">www.signtranslate.com</a> to see a demonstration of the program.

Demand your rights, demand BSL

Deaf people are being urged to demand their rights to information in BSL. Steve Powell, Chief Executive of SignHealth, says that the Disability Discrimination Act is not worth the paper it's written on unless people use it.

"The Disability Discrimination Act is an important piece of legislation. It gives Deaf people a right to fair treatment and access. Unfortunately, many organisations will not actively translate information into BSL. They wait for people to ask - and rely on the fact that many people will not.

"I recently wrote to the Education Department to ask for more information to be made available in BSL (as it is increasinlgy translated into foreign languages). Lord Adonis (above) confirmed they accept the DDA but will normally wait for someone to ask for a BSL translation. Unless people start exercising their rights there will be an assumption that Deaf people do not want information in BSL. The more people start asking for it, the more we will see it routinely available."

The letters can be read here.

Health minister agrees action on Deaf access

The Department of Health is taking steps to increase Deaf access to primary care health services.

Health minister Ben Bradshaw revealed the measures after his officials met with representatives from the Deaf community and SignHealth. The actions include:

1) Letting GPs know about the barriers faced by Deaf people and some of the responses they can make, e.g. booking appointments by e-mail;

2) Including, where possible, communication tactics information in a training package that is being given to GPs. The training is targeted at working with people with Learning Disabilities but will incorporate better communication;

3) Making sure BSL is recorded as a first language on health records - and highlighting deafness as a cultural issue. This should trigger booking an interpreter or using SignTranslate; and

4) Involve Deaf people in testing the next GP Patient Survey.

SignHealth's Chief Executive, Steve Powell, was pleased with the proposed steps but warned, "We must now make sure to Government deliver. This should just be the start. There is a long way to go before Deaf people treated equally by the health service."

Guidance for primary care

As mentioned in September's GP Bulletin, the SignHealth website now contains useful advice on making services accessible for deaf people. We urge all staff to consider what changes they can make to improve access.The guidance can be seen here.

Cycling for SignHealth

Well done to Manchester-based SignHealth staff member Dave Stannage who has completed a 450 mile, nine-day cycle ride around Ireland to raise funds for SignHealth.

We are very grateful to Dave. If you are interested in raising money for SignHealth, then please contact the Fundraising Team.