The Jewish Deaf Association (JDA) is training its British Sign Language support workers to interpret at medical appointments.
The decision comes after the charity revealed that four out of five of its clients had been left without a BSL interpreter at an NHS appointment supported by the JDA, in the first eight months of the year.
The charity said an interpreter was present at just 21 per cent of the 205 hospital and GP appointments it supported between January and August 2026. The appointments covered a range of conditions, including cancer, neurological and respiratory illnesses, as well as diabetes.
The figures were released to mark International Week of Deaf People, which ran from September 21 to 27.
JDA chief executive Sue Cipin OBE said the charity was still having to “battle with hospitals and GP surgeries” despite legislation designed to protect deaf patients’ access to information.
“When an interpreter isn’t there, JDA often has to step in to make sure our clients understand what is happening and can make their symptoms and wishes understood,” she said.
The charity said the situation persisted despite the Accessible Information Standard, which requires NHS and publicly funded adult social care services to identify and meet disabled people’s communication needs.
For JDA client Leon, the failure to provide an interpreter had serious consequences when he arrived at hospital for major cancer surgery.
JDA had contacted the hospital in advance and been assured that an interpreter had been booked. But when Leon arrived, he discovered the booking had been made for the wrong day, leaving him without the BSL support he needed at a critical moment.
“I was about to have major surgery for cancer. I was already frightened, and then I arrived and found there was no interpreter,” Leon said.
He said the absence of an interpreter had left him unable to communicate directly about his operation, consent and aftercare until a JDA support worker intervened.
“When you are deaf, an interpreter isn’t a nice extra. This was my body, my operation and my consent. I needed to be able to ask questions and understand the answers for myself,” he said.
Leon also needed information about caring for his wounds, recognising possible infection, taking medication and returning to work.
JDA head of deaf services Janine Greensite said securing interpreters remained a significant challenge, particularly when it came to healthcare.
“We can phone a doctor’s surgery and say: ‘This person is deaf. Please book an interpreter,’ and be told: ‘Sorry, we don’t do that,’ or ‘We don’t know how,’” she said.
The NHS has been approached for comment.
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