Thank you for contacting me regarding deaf people and those with hearing loss.
Access to NHS services in Wales for deaf people and those with hearing loss is woefully inadequate, with even the basic communication requirements being missed. The findings from RNID’s report unfortunately, does not come as a surprise, but are nevertheless important in raising awareness about the extent of the issue. I was pleased that I was able to raise RNID’s new report, ‘Still Ignored: The Fight for Accessible Healthcare’, with the First Minister in the Chamber on 6th May.
I have introduced a Member’s Bill to the Senedd that would have removed the barriers that exist for deaf people and their families in education, health, public services, support services and in the workplace. It would ensure that people who use BSL are not treated less favourably than those who speak Welsh or English, as well as provide deaf communities with a voice in design and delivery of services they use and would establish a BSL Commissioner with the same powers as other minority language Commissioners. It is our hope that my Bill will eventually receive the support of the Senedd.
My Welsh Conservative colleagues and I will continue to make the case for improved access to NHS services here in Wales for deaf people and those with hearing loss, including by supporting and amplifying the recommendations of the RNID here in the Senedd.