Deaf people in Wales are experiencing significant mental health inequalities because there is a lack of accessible services, no specialist Deaf mental health service in Wales and limited training about Deaf issues for health and care workers, according to a new report.
Deaf People Wales: Hidden Inequality highlights the challenges faced by Deaf people in Wales who experience mental health problems and calls on the Welsh Government to make significant changes.
The report, compiled by the All Wales Deaf Mental Health and Wellbeing Group, was launched on October 21 at the Senedd’s Cross-Party Group for Deaf Issues and copies have also been sent to Senedd members to raise awareness of the issues it raises.
These include:
- Limited implementation of the All Wales Accessible Information Standards meaning that Deaf people still don’t get information in ways they can understand and engage with;
- A need for an advice and signposting service for individuals, families, and workers;
- A knowledge gap because lots of health professionals do not know about Deaf counselling services for Deaf people that are provided by Deaf people; and,
- Deaf people have to be admitted to Birmingham, London or Manchester specialist mental health wards for full access to communication in BSL for assessment and/or treatment.
Dr Julia Terry, Associate Professor of mental health and nursing at Swansea University, is among the authors. She said: “The mental health of Deaf people in Wales has been a neglected issue for decades.
“Deaf people are already at twice the risk of mental health problems and find it extremely difficult to get help as services rarely provide accessible information or culturally relevant services.
“If nothing changes, the mental health of Deaf people in Wales will continue to be at risk.
““A conversation needs to start with Welsh Government to develop short- and long-term solutions to improve services in Wales for Deaf people experiencing poor mental health.”
The All Wales Deaf Mental Health and Wellbeing Group is:
Paul Redfern – Chair: All Wales Deaf Mental Health and Wellbeing Group, Ex- BDA Cymru Manager
Jacqui Bond – former Local Authority Specialist Social Worker with Deaf people
Cath Booth – Head of Service, Achieve Together, Care and Support services
Anouschka Foltz – Associate Professor: Linguistics, University of Graz, Austria, researcher in health care with Deaf people
Michelle Fowler Powe – Advocacy Coordinator: British Deaf Association
Helen Green – Programme Manager, Equality and Human Rights, Public Health Wales
Ceri Harris – ABUHB Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead – former Velindre EDI
Roger Hewitt – British Society of Mental Health and Deafness
Stephanie Hill – Business Support Services Manager, Centre for Sign, Sight and Sound (COS)
Christopher Shank – Senior Lecturer: Linguistics, Bangor University, researcher in health care with Deaf people
Anne Silman – North Wales Betsi Cadwaladr UHB mental health directorate – Bevan Commission Examplar
Louise Sweeney – Chief Executive Officer, Wales Council for Deaf People
Julia Terry – Associate Professor: Swansea University, mental health and nursing
Sofia Vougioukalou – Researcher at Cardiff University, Dementia, Deaf carers, & patient experience .
Tim Blackwell
October 25, 2021
A worthy cause, but what directly causes mental health problems for Deaf people?
Odd to talk about access to mental health services inequality by itself, but not *inequality* for Deaf people in its own right.
We don’t say that the lack of fire stations in an area causes many fires. We look at things like chip pans, smoking habits and electrical faults. I hope that analogy helps.
Cathy
October 26, 2021
Tim you are right and this is something we need to think seriously about: what is causing mental health in Deaf people? Are Deaf people simply lonely? Yet there is texting, facetime and social media to socialise as well as meeting in the pub with Deaf friends; are Deaf people depressed as they are out of work? This would be a different kettle of fish as no counsellor, Deaf or otherwise can provide them with jobs, so is counselling the right thing to be doing? Or is it really more education that is needed? Are Deaf people depressed because of life in general such as lockdown? We are all in the same “depressing boat” in this respect. I don’t think hounding authorities for not having services for the Deaf is going to improve our position because we really need to tackle mental health issues in the same way as the fire: look in depth at what causes mental ill health and then we will have a fighting chance of living healthier mental lives.