Deaf people in Liverpool have protested about the closure of an Action on Hearing Loss Communication Support Unit in the city.
The unit has been relocated to Peterborough, with ten jobs being lost.
Extract from the Liverpool Echo:
Dozens of members of Merseyside’s deaf community held a protest in Liverpool over the closure of a deaf charity’s city centre office.
Action on Hearing Loss – formerly the RNID – is to shut its Communication Support Unit (CSU) in The Plaza, off Old Hall Street.
The charity says it is moving the unit to Peterborough as part of cost savings measures, with the loss of 10 jobs.
Local people who use the service say it will mean they will struggle to get interpreters, but the charity insists no one will be left without support.
One of the demonstrators, Louise Reecejones, said: “Our main concern is that the new people in Peterborough will not understand the needs of individuals. The people here know their users needs and are able to provide specific services because of the relationships they have with them.”
She said deaf community members have concerns over their access to communication support – interpreters – for appointments such as hospital visits, GP appointments, opticians and work.
Another protestor, Rev Hannah Lewis, added: “Deaf people regularly visit the office here, and have done for 21 years.
“What about those who do not use text messages, phone or email, those who come into the office here, what is going to happen to them.”
Read the full story here: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/mersey-deaf-community-protest-over-11119489
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pennybsl
April 1, 2016
If the closure is purely financial, it’s time to revert back to the respected RNID.
No matter how much the initials look similar to RNIB, just look how well our blind counterparts are doing in the charity sector.
Also re-employ skilled deaf staff in HQ and regional offices please.
Tim
April 1, 2016
How much money did they spend on that re-brand again? It could have kept this office going for a long time.
“Local people who use the service say it will mean they will struggle to get interpreters, but the charity insists no one will be left without support.”
Why do RNID always seem to think that they know better than Deaf people what Deaf people need?
Jo
April 1, 2016
At the end of the cuts are there and it is happening. This is happening because interpreters want to be paid the same as they are paid today. They cannot run the offices and pay the interpreters the same as NHS for example have cut the contracts on the amount per hour so the offices are struggling to stay afloat.
As for people who don’t call, text or email, they would have access to support worker /drop in centre where they can relay their calls to explain their specific needs.
We are not the only disabled people who suffer from cuts and with that, action on hearing loss have to deal with the situation.
We are extremely lucky to have services and it is still there to use and the interpreters are still belongs to the agency so we can still access to them.
Sad that ten staff lost their jobs but at the end of the day services are there.
If they need a specific interpreters to meet their needs, they would have to find a way to explain themselves with support of deaf centre and am sure the agency would meet their needs as the interpreters are local as they wouldn’t send an interpreter from Peterborough to Liverpool for Christ sake!