NEAS Introduces British Sign Language Relay Service for Deaf Emergency Patients in England
Last week, England’s North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) introduced an innovative British Sign Language (BSL) relay service to help deaf people during emergencies. Starting in May, all ambulances in the region are equipped with iPads with the SignVideo app. This app allows first responders to communicate more effectively with deaf and BSL patients by connecting to a video interpreter in real-time, improving communication during critical times and potentially saving more lives.
This new service allows ambulance staff to access a BSL interpreter 24/7, helping them to better assess patients’ conditions and understand their immediate medical needs. The app facilitates vital communication, such as asking life-saving questions and explaining care procedures. NEAS Engagement, Diversity and Inclusion Manager Mark Johns highlighted that although health advisors already had BSL relay support, this new initiative addresses the communication barriers often encountered by deaf crews and patients, making emergency interactions more efficient and inclusive.
The implementation of the SignVideo service marks an important step towards achieving equity in healthcare for BSL users, who often face challenges accessing emergency services. The app, created by deaf businessman Jeff McWhitney in 2004, is already widely used in various sectors in the UK for instant BSL translation. With more than 100,000 video calls per year, it guarantees fast response times, crucial for emergency situations. This initiative in the North East of England is part of a wider effort to improve emergency communications for the deaf community globally, with the aim of improving outcomes and promoting equality.
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Similar services in other countries
Several countries and cities around the world are implementing innovative solutions to make emergency services more accessible for deaf and hard of hearing people:
Austria: Austria has adopted the NG112 system, which is designed to handle emergency calls through text messages, video and other digital media. This system ensures that Deaf people can contact emergency services through text messages and soon through media exchanges such as video. The system routes calls based on the caller’s GPS location to the nearest appropriate emergency center, which is crucial for a timely and effective response.
Netherlands: The Netherlands uses the Tolkcontact app or alternatively the 112NL Application, which allows deaf and hard of hearing people to make emergency calls through a video relay service. This service allows users to communicate through video with an interpreter who can help convey your situation to emergency services. This approach ensures that communication barriers are minimized during critical moments.
USA: In the United States, the AccessSOS app It is designed to facilitate emergency communications for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. The app allows users to send pre-written text messages to emergency services, providing critical information such as their location, nature of the emergency and other pertinent details without needing to place a voice call. This capability is particularly beneficial in situations where voice communication is not possible or practical. Users can select from a variety of scenarios and the app will format and send the necessary information to emergency services, ensuring a quick and accurate response. AccessSOS aims to close the communication gap, making emergency services more accessible and inclusive for everyone.
chatGPT, a potential tool for greater accessibility, was used as a research and writing aid for this blog post. Do you think this is an appropriate use of chatGPT? Why or why not? Let me know!
