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A deaf woman named Samantha received the incorrect vaccine at her doctor’s surgery because no British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter was provided, according to a recent report. Samantha had booked an appointment specifically for a flu jab, but staff gave her the Covid vaccine instead. This mistake occurred because she was not shown a BSL video that would have clarified the situation. Samantha described the experience as having a “profound impact” on her. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) criticized the failure of accessible communication for disabled people, emphasizing that such shortcomings are letting down vulnerable patients.
The investigation revealed that Samantha had clearly indicated she was there for the flu vaccine, even showing a note to a nurse. Despite this, the practice assumed she wanted the Covid vaccine and obtained consent through her grandmother, who has early-stage dementia and was not present during the appointment. In response, the PHSO recommended that the surgery issue a formal apology and pay Samantha £450 in compensation. The practice has now contracted a sign language interpreting company to prevent similar incidents in the future. NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board expressed regret over the incident and stressed the importance of making “reasonable adjustments to support effective communication” with patients.
The PHSO’s wider findings point to systemic issues where disabled individuals, including those with neurodivergence or non-native English speakers, face challenges in receiving essential healthcare, financial, or employment information due to the lack of accessible formats like large print or audio. Since April 2020, the Ombudsman has handled 623 cases related to reasonable adjustments, with the majority being upheld or partly upheld. Another highlighted case involved Alan Graham, a deaf cancer patient at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust, where staff asked his teenage grandson to interpret sensitive medical information. Following an investigation, the hospital apologized and introduced measures aimed at better supporting deaf patients, including improved awareness and accessibility protocols.
NHS England condemned the barriers that individuals with hearing or visual impairments face when accessing healthcare, calling such experiences “completely unacceptable.” The organization recently updated its standards to better ensure care is safe and effective for those with communication needs. While the PHSO is not a regulator, it can recommend financial compensation when complaints are upheld. Rebecca Hilsenrath, PHSO chief executive, noted that failure to listen to people’s needs undermines trust in support services. The report also cited North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust as a positive example, highlighting its collaboration with local advocacy groups to enhance communication services. This trust has increased the use of interpreters by 50% in one year and offers guides to patients on accessing interpreting and translation assistance
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