Deaf people get access to GP on web

DEAF people in Rotherham are to be given better access to their GPs, thanks to a pioneering web-based programme developed by a national charity.

By The Newsroom

Published 13th Aug 2007, 14:51 BST

Updated 14th Aug 2007, 10:17 BST

Sign, a charity dedicated to supporting deaf people with health problems, launched SignHealth last year, backed by the Department of Health. Rotherham is one of only a handful of places in the UK to use the new service.

The program enables GPs and other healthcare professionals to communicate with deaf patients who use British Sign Language via the internet.

They choose from a list of pre-determined questions, which are then relayed to the deaf patient via a short video clip.

A further development enables the deaf patient and their GP to have a fully interactive two-way consultation with a live BSL interpreter using a simple web-cam.

Doctors have an almost instant access to an interpreter, allowing them to deal easily with emergencies and other deaf patient appointments. Normally GPs have to wait up to two weeks to book an interpreter.