Listening to the needs of deaf and hard of hearing people in Sandwell

Report - 4 January 2023

Communication needs due to a disability, sensory loss or an impairment are covered under the Equality Act 2020 and the NHS Accessible Information Standard (2016) which states that NHS funded health and social care providers must meet the information and communication needs of people who access services. Communication should be undertaken in ways that meet identified needs and information should be provided in formats that are clear and easy to understand.

This means that people with disabilities, impairments or sensory loss, their parents or carers have rights to reasonable adjustments so that they can access information. Health and social care providers must ask and identify communication needs and preferences, recording the answers so needs can be met.

Healthwatch Sandwell (HWS) are exploring whether health and care services in Sandwell are meeting the communication needs of individuals with a disability, impairment or sensory loss in their priority project 2 : Accessibility – meeting information and communication needs. The HWS work programme for 2022/23 has an overarching theme of health inequalities. This report will contribute to this priorty project.

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Listening to the needs of deaf and hard of hearing people in Sandwell
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