Families Still carrying Welsh Deaf Access to Health

As the NHS ignores deaf rights and the equality laws.  One in five people in Wales have some form of sensory loss. Many are heavy users of health care services, with a significant percentage being older people with other health conditions, and yet their experiences of accessing services are often poor, leading to frustration at best and poorer health outcomes and clinical risk at worst.

In recognition of this, the Welsh Government established a steering group of health professionals and service users to look at the issue. Their final report and recommendations are being launched by the Health Minister today.

Amy Claridge, a hearing 19 year old with a Deaf mother and hard of hearing father, explains why the issue is so important:

“Poor communication between the NHS and those with a sensory loss comes at a high cost and a high risk. 24 per cent of deaf patients have missed a medical appointment due to communication problems, at a cost to the Welsh Government of £1m a year. In today’s modern society, fascinated with e-mails and texting, the fact that Deaf people have ask friends to call on their behalf to book, and even to interpret, these appointments is simply ridiculous. Recently, I was told that if my mother wanted an interpreter (an NHS legal requirement) she would have to wait 6 weeks (untrue) as there are only 12 interpreters in Wales (untrue). This was after I was dissuaded from doing so repeatedly by both the doctor and the secretary due to the cost implication on their surgery.

“In my family my father, grandmother and I are there to support my mum and interpret, but not all Deaf people have this luxury. I personally know a Deaf man who lives alone, with no family nearby, who has to get by writing out notes to the doctor – wasting not only his time, but NHS time too. Also, there are families where both parents are Deaf and the responsibility of interpreting can rest solely on the young child. This may not be a problem when the parent has a cold, but when I hear about the family member who had to interpret to their loved one that they had cancer, I can’t even contemplate how this might feel.

SOURCE

Welsh/Cymraeg


Wrth i'r GIG yn anwybyddu hawliau pobl fyddar a'r deddfau cydraddoldeb. Mae un o bob pump o bobl yng Nghymru yn cael rhyw fath o golled synhwyraidd. Mae llawer ohonynt yn ddefnyddwyr mawr o wasanaethau gofal iechyd, gyda chanran sylweddol bod pobl hŷn sydd â chyflyrau iechyd eraill, ac eto eu profiadau o wasanaethau gael mynediad yn aml yn wael, gan arwain at rwystredigaeth ar y gorau a chanlyniadau iechyd gwael a risg glinigol ar y gwaethaf.

I gydnabod hyn, mae Llywodraeth Cymru sefydlu grŵp llywio o weithwyr iechyd proffesiynol a defnyddwyr gwasanaeth i edrych ar y mater. Eu hadroddiad terfynol a'r argymhellion yn cael eu lansio gan y Gweinidog Iechyd heddiw.

Amy Claridge, gwrandawiad 19 oed gyda mam Fyddar a thrwm eu clyw dad, yn esbonio pam fod y mater yn un mor bwysig:

"Mae cyfathrebu gwael rhwng y GIG a'r rhai sydd â nam synhwyraidd yn dod ar gost uchel a risg uchel. 24 y cant o gleifion byddar wedi colli apwyntiad meddygol oherwydd problemau cyfathrebu, ar gost i Lywodraeth Cymru o £ 1m y flwyddyn. Yn y gymdeithas heddiw fodern, cyfareddu gyda e-bost a negeseuon testun, y ffaith bod pobl Fyddar wedi gofyn i ffrindiau i alw ar eu rhan i lyfr, a hyd yn oed i ddehongli, y penodiadau hyn yn syml chwerthinllyd. Yn ddiweddar, dywedwyd wrthyf fod os bydd fy mam eisiau cyfieithydd (yn ofyniad cyfreithiol GIG) byddai'n rhaid i chi aros 6 wythnos (anghywir) gan nad oes dim ond 12 cyfieithwyr ar y pryd yng Nghymru (anghywir). Roedd hyn ar ôl roeddwn yn perswadio i beidio gwneud hynny dro ar ôl tro gan y meddyg a'r ysgrifennydd oherwydd y goblygiadau o ran cost ar eu llawdriniaeth.

"Yn fy teulu fy nhad, mam-gu a minnau yno i gefnogi fy mam a dehongli, ond nid pob gan bobl fyddar moethus hwn. Yn bersonol, yn gwybod yn ddyn byddar sy'n byw yn unig, heb unrhyw deulu gerllaw, sydd i gael drwy ysgrifennu nodiadau allan at y meddyg - nid yn unig yn gwastraffu ei amser, ond GIG amser hefyd. Hefyd, mae teuluoedd lle mae'r ddau riant yn Fyddar a gall y cyfrifoldeb o ddehongli orffwys yn unig ar y plentyn ifanc. Efallai na fydd hyn fod yn broblem pan fydd y rhiant yn cael oer, ond pan fyddaf yn clywed am yr aelod o'r teulu a oedd yn gorfod dehongli i eu hanwylyd bod ganddynt ganser, ni allaf hyd yn oed ystyried sut y gallai hyn teimlo.

Zip it ! for the deaf.

Over 100 students from the Tonypandy College took part in a sponsored silence on Thursday 24th May in aid of “ Action on Hearing Loss”. Young people from across the year groups took part in a 20 minute sponsored silence raising well over £500.00 for this very deserving charity.

The event was organised by Amy Oliver, Yr12, as part of her Welsh Baccalaureate qualification but also to support a charity that is close to her heart as both her parents are deaf. This Cardiff based charity has helped Amy and her family by providing specialist lighting and alarms. Amy has become a regular volunteer at the office Cathedral road and would like to become a sign language interpreter.

SOURCE

Welsh/Cymraeg


Mae dros 100 o fyfyrwyr o Goleg yn cymryd rhan mewn tawelwch noddedig ar ddydd Iau 24ain Mai er budd o "Gweithredu ar y Clyw Colli". Mae pobl ifanc o bob rhan o'r grwpiau blwyddyn yn cymryd rhan mewn tawelwch noddedig 20 munud godi ymhell dros £ 500.00 ar gyfer yr elusen deilwng iawn.

Trefnwyd y digwyddiad gan Amy Oliver, Mlwyddyn 12, fel rhan o'i cymhwyster Bagloriaeth Cymru ond hefyd i gefnogi elusen sy'n agos at ei chalon fel y ddau ei rhieni yn fyddar. Mae'r elusen hon o Gaerdydd wedi helpu Amy a'i theulu trwy ddarparu goleuadau arbenigol a larymau. Amy wedi dod yn wirfoddolwr rheolaidd yn yr Eglwys Gadeiriol swyddfa ffordd ac os hoffech ddod yn dehonglydd iaith arwyddion.

New report condemns Wales for poor access for deaf/Blind

The BMA said it, the BMA are the ones denying that access ! "70 per cent of BSL users admitted to A&E, are not provided with an interpreter to help them communicate and 35 per cent of deaf and hard of hearing people have been left unclear about their condition because of difficulties communicating with their GP or nurse. This can clearly have serious implications: inaccessible services can result in poorer health outcomes for the individual and potentially place them at risk of harm."

The REPORT

Welsh/Cwmraeg


Nid yw "70 y cant o'r defnyddwyr BSL derbyn i A & E yn cael eu darparu gyda chyfieithydd i'w helpu i gyfathrebu a 35 y cant o bobl fyddar a thrwm eu clyw wedi cael eu gadael yn aneglur ynghylch eu cyflwr oherwydd anawsterau cyfathrebu gyda'u meddyg teulu neu nyrs. Gall hyn amlwg fod â goblygiadau difrifol: y gall gwasanaethau anhygyrch yn arwain at ganlyniadau iechyd gwaeth ar gyfer yr unigolyn ac o bosibl eu rhoi mewn perygl o niwed ".

BSL Award for Torfaen Parent.

A TORFAEN mother and her parents, who learnt sign language to help her little boy communicate, have won a national education award.

AWARD WINNERS: Lianne Goodall and her parents David and Carol Goodall who have learnt sign language to help her son Caleb

Lianne Goodall and parents David and Carol Goodall were named winners of the family learning award at the annual Inspire Adult Learning Awards.

The award, from the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, was announced at a ceremony in Llandudno to mark the start of adult learners’ week, taking place this week.

Miss Goodall and her parents started learning sign language at the Life Station in Pontypool to help Miss Goodall’s son Caleb.

The four-year-old was diagnosed as profoundly deaf at the age of two and his mother and grandparents decided to help by learning sign language.

Despite being born with good hearing, Caleb developed a series of infections from the age of one.  Miss Goodall, 32, said: "It is strange to get an award for this but we are really grateful. Learning sign language for Caleb was a no-brainer for us and just seems completely normal. As soon as we started learning British Sign Language, Caleb’s frustration levels dropped hugely as we were able to understand him better."

She added: "I couldn’t bear the thought of not being able to communicate with my son but now he is more expressive than ever. I taught him myself but he is much better than me now."

Welsh/Cymraeg

Mae mam TORFAEN a'i rhieni, sy'n dysgu iaith arwyddion i helpu ei gyfathrebu bachgen bach, wedi ennill gwobr addysg genedlaethol.

ENILLWYR GWOBRAU: Lianne Goodall a'i rhieni David a Carol Goodall sydd wedi dysgu iaith arwyddion i helpu i Caleb mab
Eu Lianne Goodall a rhieni David a Carol Goodall a enwir enillwyr y wobr dysgu i deuluoedd yn y flynyddol Gwobrau Ysbrydoli Dysgu Oedolion.

Mae'r wobr, gan y Sefydliad Cenedlaethol Addysg Barhaus i Oedolion, a gyhoeddwyd mewn seremoni yn Llandudno i nodi dechrau wythnos o addysg oedolion, i'w gynnal yr wythnos hon.
Cychwynodd Miss Goodall a'i rhieni dysgu iaith arwyddion yn yr Orsaf Bywyd ym Mhont-ypŵl i helpu i Miss Goodall Caleb mab.
Mae'r pedair-mlwydd-oed yn dioddef o hollol fyddar yn ddwy oed a'i fam a neiniau a theidiau benderfynu helpu drwy ddysgu iaith arwyddion.

Er gwaethaf cael ei eni â nam da, Caleb datblygu cyfres o heintiau o flwydd oed. Dywedodd Miss Goodall, 32,: "Mae'n rhyfedd i gael gwobr am hyn, ond rydym yn ddiolchgar iawn Dysgu iaith arwyddion ar gyfer Caleb oedd dim-brainer i ni a dim ond ymddangos yn hollol normal Cyn gynted ag y dechreuais i ddysgu Iaith Arwyddion Prydain.. , lefelau rhwystredigaeth Caleb yn gostwng dros ben gan ein bod yn gallu deall yn well. "

Ychwanegodd: "Nid oeddwn yn gallu dwyn ​​y syniad o beidio â bod yn gallu cyfathrebu gyda fy mab, ond yn awr ei fod yn fwy nag erioed mynegiannol mi ddysgodd iddo fy hun ond mae'n llawer gwell na fi nawr.."

Cash boost is a 'lotto' help for deaf children's charity

A CHARITY providing support for deaf children is opening its own resource library after securing lottery funding.

Flintshire Deaf Children’s Society was set up last year by the parents of two toddlers left deaf because of life-threatening illnesses.  Nicky Valentine and Vicky Morrell started the charity as a way of providing information, support and a meeting place for families with deaf children in Flintshire.

They are now launching their own mobile library filled with books, DVDs, guides and interactive resources relating to sign language and deaf communication.  The project has been made possible after the charity was awarded more than £3,000 by the National Lottery.  “We were absolutely chuffed when we found out our grant application had been successful,” said mum-of-two Nicky, from Shotton.

“The communication resource library will be for our members primarily but it will also be available to the whole community.  “We have invested some of the money in iPads because there are so many interactive applications available.  “It will be completely free and will be packed with information on learning and understanding British Sign Language.”

SOURCE/MORE

WELSH/CYMRAEG


ELUSEN darparu cymorth i blant byddar yn agor ei llyfrgell adnoddau ei hun ar ôl sicrhau arian y loteri.

Cymdeithas Plant Sir y Fflint Byddar sefydlwyd y llynedd gan y rhieni o ddau plant bach i'r chwith fyddar oherwydd afiechydon sy'n peryglu bywydau.

Dechreuodd Nicky Valentine a Vicky Morrell yr elusen fel ffordd o ddarparu gwybodaeth, cefnogaeth a man cyfarfod ar gyfer teuluoedd gyda phlant byddar yn Sir y Fflint.

Maent bellach yn lansio eu hunain llyfrgell symudol yn llawn llyfrau, DVDs, canllawiau ac adnoddau rhyngweithiol yn ymwneud â iaith arwyddion a chyfathrebu byddar.

Mae'r prosiect wedi bod yn bosibl ar ôl yr elusen dyfarnwyd mwy na £ 3,000 gan y Loteri Genedlaethol.

"Roeddem yn falch gwbl wrth i ni ddarganfod ein cais am grant wedi bod yn llwyddiannus," meddai mam i ddau o Nicky, o Shotton.

"Bydd y cyfathrebu llyfrgell adnoddau fod ar gyfer ein haelodau yn bennaf, ond bydd hefyd ar gael i'r gymuned gyfan.

"Rydym wedi buddsoddi rhywfaint o'r arian yn iPads oherwydd bod geisiadau rhyngweithiol cymaint o gael.

"Bydd yn rhad ac am ddim, a bydd yn llawn o wybodaeth am ddysgu a deall Iaith Arwyddion Prydain."