Difficult to Book BSL Interpreters
Being born deaf and relying on BSL Interpreter to help with communication in health situation is very stressful. With my medication (BP / Heart and eye disease) I can’t phone my surgery without any hassle, even with help from Typetalk on Minicom machine. To avoid that I make a journey uphill to the surgery to order prescription. Although I use computer for emails I am not confident with online. Booking a BSL Interpreter at the surgery for doctor’s appointment is not straightforward as I don’t see it happening on the spot. There have been times when I have turned up for appointments and interpreter hasn't turned up or hasn't been booked - Therefore it's either cancel the visit to doctor til another time which could be three weeks wait or face the doctor thus in ten mins which is impossible to cover with all the writing between Dr and me! To be fair some staff are deaf aware and friendly but those who are not could do with short deaf awareness course, and that also it includes new doctors.