Health Services: Sign Language

(asked on 21st February 2023) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of support offered for people in the health service who use British Sign Language as their first language in (a) Watford constituency and (b) England.


Answered by
Maria Caulfield Portrait
Maria Caulfield
This question was answered on 28th February 2023

No assessment has been made. In November 2020, NHS England commissioned the North of England Commissioning Support Unit (NECS) to undertake a Rapid Review of British Sign Language (BSL) service provision across England in the National Health Service. The Rapid Review was completed in May 2021 and contained 17 recommendations to address the identified health inequalities experienced by BSL users. NHS England has established and is supporting a national network of BSL Regional Leads to share the outcomes from the BSL Rapid Review and to support the implementation of the Review's recommendations.

Furthermore, following Royal Assent of the BSL Act 2022, the Government Communication Service will promote and facilitate the use of BSL in communications with the public. This is expected to support BSL users to access public services, including health and care services.

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