Shocking inequalities suffered by deaf people laid bare in new report

Shocking inequalities suffered by deaf and hard-of-hearing people in Salford have been laid bare in a new report.

The report has been published by the Salford/Deaf Community Gathering group, which says 'the statutory duty imposed on public services and the necessary recommendations highlight years of inaction'.

When there is action taken to improve inequalities, it means 'a process of consultation after consultation where action is minimal or stalls for many reasons.'

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Much of the criticism in the study is directed at doctors’ surgeries and hospitals where, it says, the Equality Act 2010 is being largely ignored.

In particular, a lack of awareness by medical staff of how to access British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters is an issue.

One of the major aspirations of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community underlined in the report is ‘true independent living’.

“True independent living is when ‘a person has control over their life and are able to make choices’,” it says.

“In the 1980s deaf people largely relied on public and voluntary services from the social services or Salford Diocesan Catholic Deaf Church in Manchester or Manchester Deaf Centre.

“Salford is rich with resources to help, support and empower the community – only finding it is like searching for the right piece of the 1,000-piece jigsaw first-time.”

It said that during the Covid-19 pandemic many deaf, hard-of-hearing and hearing-aid users [referred in the report as the d/Deaf] were ‘disproportionately affected’ by the lack of awareness [among service providers] resulting in d/Deaf people having unequal access to information and accessible communications’.

The report