Do you Want to Save £30 Million a Year?
Siobhan was diagnosed with a stroke, but there was a delay in her receiving proper diagnosis and treatment.
That is the sort of poor service which means Deaf people like Siobhan have a reduced life expectancy. We’re fighting to change that, so that Deaf and hearing people have an equivalent service. Your CCG can help.
We would like to meet the clinical commissioners in your area to explain the findings of our ‘SICK OF IT’ report, and to explain the simple changes you can make to meet the needs of Deaf patients. Those changes would end the injustice which robs Deaf people of their health, and would save the NHS some of the £30m a year it currently wastes by providing a poor service.
What is ‘SICK OF IT’?
This year, the Deaf Health Charity SignHealth and the University of Bristol published the results of a research project, which has been five years in the making. It was the first large study in the world to investigate the health of Deaf people.
We used examinations, tests, and the collection of evidence on how Deaf people have been treated in hospitals and GP surgeries. The results show Deaf people who use sign language are subject to poor communication, bad access, and a lack of accessible information.
Unfortunately, Siobhan is not the only Deaf person who will experience misdiagnosis and poor treatment. It is a huge problem across the country.
You can read more about the report on our page Sick of It for Professionals.
In the next few months, Samantha Kenward will be meeting CCGs across the country, to explain the findings of the report and the simple and inexpensive ways we can improve access and service for Deaf people. Please email to find out more, and to arrange a mutually convenient date for a presentation and discussion with your CCG.
Together we can put a stop to this unintentional neglect.