Coming into hospital for an appointment or treatment can be daunting for anyone. But imagine not being able to phone the hospital to make or change an appointment, missing what the doctor or the treating team have said, or not understanding instructions for taking your medication.
Margaret and Merv are Deaf and are receiving support from Interpretive Services
These are all common situations faced by people who are Deaf, like patient Margaret and her husband Merv. But thanks to our Patient Services team, Margaret and Merv are now receiving the best possible care at RBWH.
Between the two of them, they’ve been in and out of hospital nonstop for the past three years, after Merv suffered a terrible fall in 2017. When he was left without an interpreter for days in another facility, they made the difficult decision to leave their hometown in the hope Margaret would receive better support at RBWH after a cancer diagnosis early this year.
Their son Sam, who is a strong advocate for the Deaf community and is all too familiar with the barriers his parents typically face, says the support of RBWH staff has certainly put his mind at ease.
“I have seen a huge improvement to the care my parents are receiving,” he said.
“There are have been countless occasions over the years where they have been left in the dark because of inadequate Interpreter Services. This has been incredibly stressful and frightening for them.”
The Patient Services team have been working closely with Margaret, Merv and Sam to coordinate Margaret’s care and access to Interpreter Services.
“Staff from RBWH have spent the time getting to know us and understanding some of the common barriers we face and that’s what has really made the difference,” said Sam.
“I would love to see that all staff know how to access Interpreter Services for Deaf people and people with other barriers to safe communication.”
To find out more information about our Interpreter Services, or to book the service for your patient, their carers or family, please visit the Intranet.