This pages contains information and links for our D/deaf, deafened and hard of hearing patients.
We employ a D/deaf awareness coordinator within the trust to support staff to provide the best care they can to D/deaf patients as part of our commitment to ensuring all of our communities have the access to healthcare they need without any barriers. We are committed to increasing understanding about the needs of our patients with hearing loss and, importantly, improving the delivery of care to them.
If you are a BSL user then you can contact us through InterpretersLive! if you wish via this link.
If you are attending one of our hospitals, please check with our staff that your notes are up-to-date with any communication needs that you have. If your mobile phone number is registered with us then you should receive your appointment reminders via text message.
For our Deaf patients, we do offer face-to-face appointments automatically, rather than virtually or by telephone, and we will book BSL interpretation for your planned appointment or procedure.
If an interpreter cannot be booked or fails to turn up, we have access to remote video BSL interpretation on all our computers. We also have dedicated mobile laptops for remote video BSL interpretation in our outpatient departments at Hexham, Wansbeck and North Tyneside hospitals as well as in the emergency department and ambulatory care at the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital.
For our hard of hearing patients, please let a member of staff know if they need to speak clearly for you or if you need to lip-read.
If you wear hearing aids, please put the T switch on so that you can use the hearing loops at our reception desks and in some clinical areas. If you are coming into hospital, please remember to bring in your hearing aids, spare batteries and spare tubing.
We welcome your feedback on anything which we can do to support patients who are D/deaf or hard of hearing. You can contact us via various methods of communication.
Thanks to the D/deaf awareness project funded through our Bright charity, we have D/deaf awareness cards available for patients to use.
For more information, contact brightcharity
- North East Mental Health and Deafness Service, run by Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW), has produced two BSL videos with members of the Deaf community to highlight the support available to them in a crisis - https://www.cntw.nhs.uk/news/videos-produced-to-showcase-crisis-support-available-to-deaf-community/
- The Macmillan Deaf Cancer Support Project provides virtual emotional and practical support to Deaf people living with cancer across the UK. It also supports their carers, including Deaf people who are supporting a hearing person living with cancer: https:/
/ deafcancersupport.org.uk/
Support and community groups:
Name of organisation |
Website & postal address |
Email & phone contacts |
Northumberland and District Deaf Club |
Cramlington Working Men’s Club, Park View, Cramlington, Northumberland, NE23 6QJ |
Email: secretarynddc |
Deaf Awareness North East
|
The Linskill Centre |
Email: info Tel: Call the organiser:
|
Deaflink
|
4 Glendale Terrace Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 1PB
|
admin Minicom/Phone: SMS/Text only: Fax: Skype: deaflink.deaflink Moblie: Glide: |
Tynemouth Sign Language Social |
The Salutation Inn, 63 Front St, Tynemouth |
|
Deaf and Sign Social, Whitley Bay |
Whitley Bay Big Local, 158 Whitley Road, NE26 2LY |
andy. Tel: |
Deaf Community Monthly, North Shields |
Christ Church Parish Centre, Preston Rd, North Shields, NE29 0LW |
|
Sign it Hear CIC |
Café Nero – St Mary’s Place, Newcastle |
info@signithear.com |
Hard of Hearing Organisation (HOHO) |
Judith & Gerry Daniel, 92 Solway Avenue, NE30 3BA
|
Email: judger. Tel: |
Northumbria Deaf Church/Mission
|
St Andrew's Church, Newgate Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 5SS |
http:// Email: northumbria_dm Tel: Fax: |
Becoming Visible |
https:/ 4th Floor Mea House, Ellison Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8XS |
Tel: 0191 233 0999/0777 581 1150 Fax: |
Newcastle Deaf Centre |
http:/ 2, Summerhill Grove, |
newcastle. Voice/Fax: Barry Siddons |
Sign Naturally |
https://www.sign-naturally.co.uk/ St Andrew’s Church Hall, Newgate St, Newcastle |
enquiries Text
|
Hexham and Newcastle Diocesan Deaf Service |
http:// Catholic Deaf Service North East |
Mobile phone: (Text only) 07411 449 959 |
RNID
|
|
Email: information Tel: |
Simple steps to keep you safe during your hospital stay
You may be feeling anxious about being in hospital but keeping you safe and well is a priority for the staff looking after you. There are also some simple things you can do to help keep yourself safe during your hospital stay, such as asking for help when needed, protecting yourself from slips and falls and helping to prevent blood clots.