Deaf nurse Sam Penney on returning to work during the pandemic

When an awkward slip in a pair of heeled boots left deaf nurse Sam Penney, 49, with a broken ankle which didn’t heal properly, an operation in February meant a 12-week sickness absence – during which the Covid-19 crisis erupted.

It kick-started a process which ultimately saw the Northern Irishwoman and Band 5 staff nurse, now living in Clapham outside Bedford, being redeployed to a new role.

As a deaf nurse, Penney, was wary about what returning to work would mean for her, not least when all medical staff began using face masks, making lipreading all but impossible, and communication a challenge, even for hearing staff.

For her, lipreading was clearly vital, coupled with hearing aids and some BSL.

She is not the only one to worry. Earlier this month, a deaf frontline nurse at another trust spoke to ITV News about the problems of communicating behind a face mask, and not being able to lipread or pick up clues from facial expressions. That worker is urging masks with transparent windows for all healthcare staff.

Penney, whose profound deafness since birth was not picked up until she was three, says: “It was very frustrating. I watched the news with growing concern for deaf colleagues and patients. I was worried about how they would communicate if they came in – the masks were certainly not the only issue.

“Clearly, I understand the difficulties, and I didn’t want them being left behind. As Covid broke, I had appointments cancelled myself, and faced a battle to get them done via video call or email rather than the phone, which is always the first thing you’re offered. I had to fight to get video calls with my GP, and the receptionist said I should just phone, but eventually the video calls, for example for physio too, worked well.”

Penney also drew up a list of practical ways NHS staff could support deaf patients, from video call tips to best apps to the importance of reassuring anyone who may be feeling frightened. She sent her tips to the chief nurse at her trust.

“It’s stressful enough anyway, but I knew for deaf patients coming into hospital at this time, it would be disproportionately difficult.”

Equally, like many in the deaf community, she worries about the lack of BSL interpretation at news conferences in England, and the potential for mistakes, inaccuracies and miscommunication with the live subtitles.

She adds: “When I realised the masks were being used across the NHS, I had to take action. A lot of deaf people are struggling with them. Luckily, my line manager was understanding and supportive, and there were meetings with HR as well. We did a risk assessment for my ankle and discussed the masks issue.”

Previously based at Milton Keynes University Hospital since November 2018 in the Same Day Admissions Unit, where she helped prepare patients for surgery, she was redeployed to work with the same hospital’s pharmacy unit, which wanted nursing input.

“No masks are needed as it’s in an office building in central Milton Keynes. I’m looking at medicine management and processes to help prevent incidents and boost standards. I miss friends, but feel I’m doing something worthwhile. I enjoy problem-solving and it’s great to be back at work. It’s where IT and HR are, and it’s a quiet environment. I even have my own office! I feel that, with good use of video calls, I have all the support I need.”

Over a nursing career spanning three decades in England and Northern Ireland, Penney has certainly had to fight her corner on other occasions.

“Training in the early 1990s was tough. There were no note-takers, and no speech-to-text devices. So I had to rely a lot on my friends and radio aids helped. I think free photocopying was the only thing I got back then!”

It’s also true that the last few years have, by any standards, been gruelling. Penney’s partner Nev Benson, with whom she lives and who also has a hearing loss, suffered two heart attacks and a hypoxic brain injury in May 2017.

“He’s had to learn everything all over again. When he woke up in ICU, he didn’t even know who I was. So it’s been tough.

“It was definitely through my influence that he addressed his own hearing loss and got his aids. He didn’t realise what he was missing until then, and was just sort of bluffing his way through!”

While dealing with her partner’s illness, Penney lost her father to cancer in September 2018, following a short illness. A couple of months later, she returned home to Northern Ireland to accompany her mother to the event where she broke her ankle.

She is adamant, however, that she is not telling a sob story.

“I’m grateful for the support I’ve had for this crisis, and know it will ultimately make me better placed to continue to help and fight for all my patients, deaf and hearing. I’m not entirely sure all deaf nurses in other trusts have been treated this well at all times, so I feel very lucky.”

Milton Keynes University Hospital said: “We’re an equal opportunities employer and our Trust is committed to supporting and maintaining a workforce that embraces and reflects the diverse nature of the area it serves, in all aspects. We aim to make our premises and services as accessible as possible for our patients, our staff and the communities we serve, and we have measures in place to ensure equality, diversity and inclusion are promoted and celebrated, including a requirement that all staff undergo equality and diversity training to best support adjustments for anyone that should require them in the workplace.”