Joanne Woodhouse-Roberts: Ending the year on a high with a positive, accessible experience (BSL)

2023 is rapidly coming to an end and I thought I would end on a high!

Like you all, I often read in the media or on social media about people sharing their disappointing, sad, or frightening experiences and come across those who have had to fight or complain for what they are entitled to.

I for one believe making a ‘formal complaint’ can be a positive thing to do – it can raise awareness and policies can be changed with the right attitude and knowledge.

Equally, it’s good to praise those who have performed well. How do they know if they have done it right if we don’t tell them? Positivity goes a long way!

If you are anything like me, you will know paying a visit to your doctor’s surgery can be a stressful event.

I personally do my very best to stay out of our local doctor’s surgery –

However, like everyone I need to see my GP from time to time. The stress of visiting the surgery is worryingly high.

Should I ask the surgery to book an interpreter? Will I have to wait longer for an appointment due to this?

If I go alone, will I be able to communicate with the receptionists? Will I be able to catch my name when being called in the waiting room? From which of many doors will the doctor be entering the waiting room?

Will I be able to see him/her? Will I be able to communicate with them? Will the GP have a beard, an accent, be male or female and finally will they understand me?

Will I remember what the GP has told me as I am concentrating so hard on communicating that I can often leave the room being unable to remember what has been said!

All this is before I have stepped into the room to discuss why I am there in the first place! It may easily be treatable but likewise it may be a little complicated, worrisome, painful and uncomfortable, but for me it’s almost that my medical problem is an afterthought.

I never see the same GP or members of staff each visit so the anxiety and stress levels set in every time I need to attend, hence why I am someone who puts things off and hopes the problem will fix itself!

Now I started this blog promising I would finish on a high so here goes!

I recently attended my local surgery with the usual anxieties and without an interpreter, but my husband came along for some moral support.

On this occasion we didn’t see a doctor but an Advanced Paramedic. They are part of the new job strategies in NHS surgeries.

Upon entering the room I did the usual of introducing myself and my husband ‘We are both Deaf and we lipread’.

What usually follows from here is quite honestly pot luck! On this visit we struck gold!

A member of staff called Aaron replied to me using BSL!

He asked if I was in pain, had a temperature and the usual questions all using BSL.

I am sure Aaron would be the first to admit he isn’t a ‘fluent BSL user’ in fact he knows more ASL than BSL but he knew enough for us to be able to communicate effectively and for him to be able to diagnose my problem.

Aaron had a very positive, Deaf- aware attitude who made every attempt to communicate with me in BSL and as a result my stress levels reduced rapidly- we communicated beautifully.

My husband and I left the room absolutely flabbergasted- Did we just dream that up?

In all my years of attending all sorts of medical appointments and trust me I’ve had many, no one has ever communicated or attempted to communicate in BSL not even an audiologist!

So I would like to praise Aaron for being a star and having the confidence to give me a positive experience but for also giving our readers some hope – just maybe things are changing for the better after all?

Aaron has proved that staff can learn BSL and it can make a huge difference to Deaf patients.

Maybe it won’t be long before more staff will be able to communicate with us in BSL?

I would certainly love to see doctors and receptionists raise their hands and communicate using BSL with me as well as other Deaf patients and make their surgeries Deaf friendly.

I am writing this, one week away from December so I think it would be fitting to wish all the readers a very Happy Christmas and wishing you all the very best for 2024.

By Joanne Woodhouse-Roberts.