The group is made up of representatives from teams at Leeds Teaching Hospitals including Patient Experience, Equality and Diversity, and staff who work with patients who are deaf or hard of hearing. The group also includes staff who are deaf or hard of hearing and community organisations. The Director of Estates and Facilities is the group’s Executive Sponsor.
Our commitment is to make sure that deaf and hard of hearing people using the hospital can say:
- I find it easy to get around the hospital
- Information is given to me in a way that I understand
- I am confident that the staff know that I am deaf or hard of hearing
- My communication needs are met by staff in a way that suits me
- I feel confident that staff work with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities
- I welcome the training that is being given to staff
Sign Language Interpreting
The Trust is soon to trial SignLive video interpreting in areas such as the Emergency Departments at the Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s Hospital.
If you are a patient who needs sign language interpreting, and attends one of our emergency areas, you will be immediately supported by a Sign Language interpreter via the app.
Clear Face Masks
Members of staff can now use clear face masks to help communication with patients who need to lip read or see facial expression.
Please feel free to ask staff to wear a clear mask if you rely on lip reading.
Using Patient Hub if you are deaf or hard of hearing
Patient Hub is a digital appointment system for outpatient appointments. This should help you if you are deaf or hard of hearing to interact with the hospital to make arrangements about your appointment without having to use a phone.
We recognise that the Patient Hub will not be a solution for all patients.
If you need to contact the hospital there is a text phone available, which will connect you to the PALS team. This is also useful for callers that have difficulty with speech. The PALS team will assist callers with connection to the correct team.
The PALS text phone number is: 07468 753 025.
Identifying you on your hospital records
Our hospital teams can identify you as being deaf or hard of hearing by adding a “flag” to your hospital record.
Our teams are currently being trained on how to do this, but you can ask when you attend if this is on your records.
Leeds Dental Institute Project
A project called ‘Equal Access to Healthcare for d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons” is currently in progress at the Leeds Dental Institute (LDI).
The project aims to:
- Identify barriers faced by patients who are deaf or hard of hearing;
- Identify reasonable adjustments that could be made, or specific support where needed;
- Share the learning with other services.
Initial stages of this project are looking at noise reduction in clinics and alternatives to using telephones.
Lip Reading Classes
- Do you have hearing loss?
- Do you struggle to follow conversation?
- Are you beginning to avoid social situations?
Come along to this new class to develop your lip reading skills and learn about managing your hearing loss.
Lip reading classes are available on Friday mornings at the Leeds Society for Deaf & Blind People (just walking distance from St James’s Hospital). For details please contact [email protected].