Appendix 1. Improving Front Line Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing – Action Plan

What you said we should do /

We will

/ Resources / Who / Deadline
Make Deaf and Hard of Hearing People feel welcome /
  1. Distribute Happy to help poster which includes BSL interpreters
  2. Clearly label Hearing Loops in receptions and meeting rooms
/ SN
Service Units / Mar 2010
Mar 2010
Improve access to BSL Interpreters /
  1. Introduce BSL Interpreters Guidance
  2. Review the need to have a BSL Interpreters Policy and partners BSL arrangements
  3. Find out who has BSL skills in the Council and promote BSL courses internally
  4. Pilot BSL surgery at Civic Centre on set day involving different services
  5. Pilot using BSL interpreters via web camera service to respond to straightforward requests
/ Long term cost implications / CSC
SN
SN / PAL
Benefits
Benefits / Mar 2010
Sept 2010
Dec 2010
April 2010
April 2010
Improve deaf awareness amongst employees /
  1. Put in place deaf awareness training for Equality Reps and employees
    Create training for frontline services on supporting customers with diverse needs (including deaf awareness)
/ HR
HR / April 2010
April 2010
Make our letters and information more accessible /
  1. Investigate purchasing equipment to produce BSL videos
  2. Look into how other Councils provide newsletters to deaf and hard of hearing people
  3. Promote the use of fax & text relay numbers on letters and communications to deaf customers
  4. Improve website accessibility and look into use of SMS texting
/ ICT
TBC?
CSC/ Service Units
CSC/ICT / Tbc
Ongoing
Tbc
Improve record keeping around specific needs /
  1. Review how specific needs are recorded in service units and on the Customer’s First database system
/ All Service Units / CF
/ 2012
Introduce a Deaf Liaison Officer / At this time, we will not be introducing a Deaf Liaison Officer because we expect all services to be able to meet the needs of our deaf and hard of hearing customers. We intend to make improvements by carrying out the actions above.
There are Council officers whose job involves making links with the Deaf Community to provide support and listen to their views. These are:
Helen Sansom, Social Worker in the Sight and Hearing Team
Sue Newell, Corporate Equality Officer
Marbellys Baynes-Azcarate, Corporate Complaints Officer

NB: We will translate this action plan into BSL and communicate out to participants and other deaf residents.