Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to improve the availability of British Sign Language translation services at hospitals and GP practices in England.

The Accessible Information Standard is intended to make sure that people who have a disability, impairment or sensory loss get information that they can access and understand. The Accessible Information Standard was published by NHS England in July 2015. From 1 August 2016, all organisations that provide National Health Service care and or publicly-funded adult social care are required to follow the standard in full.

Commissioning organisations, including clinical commissioning groups and local authorities, are required to support implementation and compliance with the standard by providers from which they commission services. They may do this through contracts and performance management arrangements, for example.