Deaf patients across England have voiced their frustration over a critical shortage of British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters within the National Health Service (NHS), leading to significant delays in treatment and a sense of being misunderstood. The issue has left many feeling excluded from essential healthcare services, as highlighted by recent reports and personal testimonies.
Millie Neadley, a 22-year-old from Hull, experienced a “frustrating” year-long delay for surgery on her broken nose due to repeated cancellations of appointments when a BSL interpreter was unavailable. “Not having an interpreter makes me feel like I’m being ignored,” she said, emphasizing the risk of missing out on crucial medical information.
Survey Highlights Widespread Issues
A survey conducted by hearing loss charities RNID and SignHealth in 2025 revealed that only 7% of respondents who required professional communication support at medical appointments consistently had access to it. This stark statistic underscores the systemic challenges faced by the deaf community in accessing healthcare services.
The NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) acknowledged the shortage of qualified BSL interpreters as a long-standing issue requiring national attention. “The small number of fully qualified BSL interpreters in the region, and the seven-year training route, is a long-term challenge,” a spokesperson stated.
Personal Stories of Struggle and Frustration
Millie Neadley’s experience is not isolated. Her mother, Joanne Neadley, who is also deaf, described the repeated delays as “not acceptable” and stressed the need for a “proper BSL-qualified interpreter.” On the day of Millie’s surgery, an interpreter cancelled last minute, leaving a nurse with basic signing skills to assist.
Rachel Duke, another Hull resident and a sixth-generation member of a profoundly deaf family, recounted similar challenges. She described the difficulties of securing appointments without an interpreter and the reliance on family members for communication. “I don’t want to rely on hearing people. I want to do it myself. Equality, that’s what we need,” she asserted.
Expert Opinions and Training Challenges
Heather Peachey, a level 6 BSL interpreter from Barton-upon-Humber, highlighted the arduous journey to becoming a qualified interpreter. “It’s the same as learning any other language, it’s all self-funded,” she explained, noting that the process can take up to seven years and cost around £6,000.
Signature, the BSL exam board, confirmed the financial and educational hurdles faced by aspiring interpreters, which contribute to the shortage. The lack of university programs offering BSL units further exacerbates the issue.
Calls for Systemic Change and Future Steps
The report titled “Still Ignored: The Fight for Accessible Healthcare” by RNID and SignHealth concluded that the NHS lacks adequate systems to ensure accessible healthcare for the deaf community. It found that many deaf individuals felt “disrespected” and “excluded,” often relying on friends and family for translation during medical appointments.
A spokesperson for RNID emphasized that equal access to healthcare is “a basic human right,” and their research has “exposed widespread failings affecting people who are deaf when accessing NHS services.” The NHS ICB has been collaborating with the Hull Deaf Centre to address these barriers, developing new training tools and improving interpreter booking processes.
The ICB spokesperson highlighted ongoing efforts to enhance the deaf patient journey, including better use of BSL-enabled technology and increased deaf awareness training for NHS staff. “We are working with NHS partners to make real and urgent improvements,” they said, acknowledging the need for national attention to resolve the interpreter shortage.
As the NHS grapples with these challenges, the deaf community continues to advocate for systemic changes that will ensure equitable access to healthcare services. The call for action remains urgent, with the hope that increased awareness and strategic initiatives will lead to meaningful progress.
