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Article: Deaf people and the National Health Service
- Article from:
- Consumer Policy Review
- Article date:
- July 1, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright Association for Consumers Research Jul/Aug 1997. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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ABSTRACT
One in seven people in the UK have a clinically significant hearing loss. Deaf people are as diverse as hearing people, but they are distinguished by their communication needs. Research indicates that, for many deaf people, interaction with medical staff is fraught with difficulties. The Disability Discrimination Act represents a significant step forward, but serious limitations remain. The NHS should set national standards for access by deaf people, and all relevant NHS staff should be given deaf awareness training.
The central principle underlying the establishment of the National Health Service (NHS) is equality of access for all to a comprehensive health service, based on ...