Burnley & Pendle Citizen - the local newspaper for our community

Trusts 'must do more for the deaf'

From the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, first published Tuesday 4th May 2004.

PRIMARY care trusts in East Lancashire were today urged to do more to meet the needs of deaf and hard of hearing patients.

MP Gordon Prentice wants the National Health Service to step up its provision for this group.

The Pendle Labour man spoke out after the Royal National Institute for the Deaf produced a report highlighting the problems of accessing NHS services for the hearing impaired. It calls for action to tackle the difficulties.

Mr Prentice said: "There are nine million people in he UK with hearing loss and the report illustrates some of the barriers they face in accessing local health services.

"The report highlighted that the cost to the NHS of missed appointments alone is £20million a year, simply because people missed appointments because of poor compensation.

"The report urges primary care trusts to accommodate the needs of deaf and hard of hearing people by reducing the dangers resulting from lack of communication.

"This would reduce the amount of money currently being wasted due to needlessly missed appointments.

"This seems a very simple and cost-effective move and I hope that our local PCTs will take action along these lines."

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