Teenager asked by NHS staff to tell his deaf mother her father was dying, damning report finds
NHS staff asked teen to inform deaf mum her dad was dying
- A damning report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) found that a deaf teenager was forced to tell his deaf mother that her father might die due to the NHS failing to provide British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters.
- Grandfather Alan Graham, 75, who was deaf and used BSL, was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, but professional BSL interpreters were only provided on three occasions during his 11-week stay in 2021.
- Hospital staff repeatedly used Mr Graham's teenage grandchildren, aged 16 and 12, to interpret critical medical information, including his prognosis, causing significant distress to the family.
- The PHSO concluded that University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) NHS Trust failed to follow national guidance and legal obligations to provide BSL interpreters, though the lack of interpreters did not impact Mr Graham's medical care.
- The trust was ordered to apologise and pay compensation to the family, which it has done, and has since implemented actions to improve accessibility for deaf patients, while the ombudsman also raised concerns with NHS England and the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID).
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