Deaf Volunteers have their Say about Access to Healthcare
At Kent Coast Volunteering (KCV), we believe that everyone deserves to be heard — and that includes our local Deaf community. Through our Lottery-funded Deaf Volunteering Project, we have supported over 40 Deaf volunteers to have their voices heard and to help influence positive change in our community.
Listening to the Deaf Community
Deaf people wanted the chance to share their experiences but often lacked accessible opportunities to do so. Working in partnership with Palm Deaf, we created safe spaces where Deaf volunteers could communicate in British Sign Language (BSL) and express their views directly. They wanted to talk about access to healthcare.
It’s important to understand that BSL is not the same as English — it’s a rich, visual language with its own grammar and structure. For many Deaf people, English is their second language, and information presented only in written English can create significant barriers to access and understanding.
What We Learned
Through our project, Deaf volunteers shared powerful insights about their experiences around healthcare access. From the 40 KCV surveys completed, we found:
- 70% of Deaf people said their GP is not accessible.
- 100% of Deaf people aged 18–25 said that barriers to booking GP appointments made them feel frustrated, confused, or reliant on others.
- 57.5% of Deaf people aged 18–99 rely on a hearing relative, spouse, or friend to make doctor’s appointments for them over the phone.
“The NHS online system is a bit complicated and hard to use — it’s in English, and I’m a BSL user.”
“Staff aren’t always Deaf Aware. It’s difficult to hear my name being called in the waiting room. Staff often forget that I am Deaf.”
These findings highlight how crucial it is for healthcare services to be accessible in BSL and to understand the communication barriers faced by Deaf people.
Taking Action and Making a Difference
Our Deaf volunteers have not only shared their stories — they’ve also become advocates for change. Agreeing for their stories being shared with SignHealth’s ‘Still Sick of it’ Campaign. Helping to raise awareness, support others, and encourage better Deaf inclusion in community settings.
Together with Palm Deaf, we’ve captured their experiences through case studies and video stories, showcasing the real impact of giving Deaf people a platform to lead the conversation.
Working with SignHealth — “Still Sick of It”
We’re proud that our local work is now contributing to a national conversation. Our research and findings have been shared with SignHealth’s “Still Sick of It” campaign — a powerful national movement highlighting the ongoing inequalities Deaf people face when accessing healthcare.
This partnership means that our Deaf volunteers’ voices will soon be heard on a wider stage. SignHealth will be sharing their stories as part of their research and advocacy, helping to strengthen both local and national efforts to create real, lasting change.
By combining local lived experience with national evidence, we are helping to amplify Deaf voices, challenge inequality, and ensure that Deaf people’s health needs are finally recognised and addressed.
Join the Movement
SignHealth Still Sick of It campaign can be found here: https://signhealth.org.uk/with-deaf-people/campaigns/still-sick-of-it/
If you are interested in volunteering, visit our Kent Coast Volunteering opportunities page, and contact our Volunteer Connectors at volunteering@kcv.org.uk.
If you are Deaf and interested in volunteering contact accessibility@kcv.org.uk and we will try to help. This project runs until the end of December 2025.
