World Health Day

Today, the 7th of April, is World Health Day. The theme for World Health Day 2024 is ‘My health, my right’. To mark this day, we’re profiling a co-operative that is working towards more accessible healthcare.

Signalise is a platform co-operative run by its members to provide interpreting services for people who need to book BSL interpreters and other communication professionals in Liverpool and Merseyside.

They aim to have membership from the three user groups involved in Deaf people’s access to health care – Deaf people; other interested parties such as healthcare providers and commissioners who need to purchase services and have a statutory duty to care for Deaf service users, and the communication professionals who facilitate communication between Deaf people and health staff.

A few years ago, when starting up, Signalise were keen to find out what all three user groups thought about interpreting services for Deaf people. They undertook a survey of users across the five boroughs of Merseyside; Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley & St Helens. You can read the report Signing the right path here.

Did you know it costs the NHS £30 million per year in the poor diagnosis and ineffective treatment of Deaf people? The current system doesn’t work and leaves Deaf people without any choice or control. Interpreters have boycotted agencies who demonstrate a lack of knowledge and respect of the Deaf community and interpreting. Agencies have gone into liquidation as a result of traditional working practices that cannot meet demand led services. This is why the work that Signalise does is so important.

Find out more about Signalise here.