Sign Language interpreters & Translators for the Legal domain
Resources: Mental Health & Deafness
Coroner concerns: Prevention of Future Deaths Report. Lack of access to sign language interpreters – Mental Health and Inquests.
Coroner send concerns to Department of Health and Social Care, National Register of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind people (NRCPD) & NHS England over lack of access for deaf patients and interpreters for the inquest.
They shared,” lack of availability of British Sign Language Interpreters able to help support Deaf patients in the community who were being treated with mental health difficulties. This was particularly apparent when mental health staff were seeking an interpreter at short notice for a patient who was in crisis. The lack of interpreters available has meant that urgent assessments are being carried out with no interpreters present.”
And, ” The overall lack of British Sign Language Interpreters has also meant that this Inquest has itself had to be delayed/adjourned for two months due to there being no available Interpreters to interpreter for two deaf witnesses over the two-week period of the Inquest.”
Coroner finds failures in mental health services for deaf people
Coroner’s Inquest finds that there are systemic, longstanding and well documented challenges in the provision of mental health services for deaf patients and a national shortage of BSL interpreters, which makes it difficult for deaf patients to communicate their distress when their mental health is deteriorating, or they are in crisis.
The failures in the care provided by mental health services which were found to have contributed to the death included:
Failing to review the care plan.
Failing to put in place safeguarding measures being advised.
Failing to have a face-to-face appointment to assess risk.
The coroner concluded that deaf mental health patients face systemic, longstanding and well documented challenges in accessing treatment they need. Despite over a decade of clear evidence, these barriers to deaf patients accessing healthcare remain.
Court of Protection Ruling Highlights Importance of Specialist Assessments for Deaf Individuals
A recent Court of Protection ruling emphasised the need for specialist expertise when assessing the mental capacity of deaf individuals fluent in British Sign Language (BSL). The case involved a 20-year-old man previously deemed to lack mental capacity for various decisions. However, a new assessment by a consultant experienced in working with deaf individuals found him capable, a conclusion upheld by the judge. The judgment outlined key recommendations, including ensuring assessors are proficient in BSL and have a background in deafness or providing clear justifications if these criteria are unmet. The case also addressed fluctuating mental capacity and highlighted the court’s efforts to involve the individual in proceedings
Deaf behind bars: ‘I felt completely isolated’ (BBC report)
Prisons are environments that really run on sounds – alarms, tannoys, people’s voices. So, what’s it like being deaf in prison?
This video has closed caption subtitles and BSL translation.
Deaf and in Prison by Shahab Reza (June 2019)
Personal life experience explaining the additional challenges and barriers deaf sign language users face when in prison.
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