Published on: 3rd December 2024
An Australian-first innovative training program designed to make health care more accessible and equitable for people who are Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of hearing is being officially rolled out across the Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) from today.
Launched on International Day of People with Disabilities, the online Deafness Awareness Training program has been developed in partnership with Deaf Connect (now operating the services and programs formerly delivered by formerly Deaf Can:Do), to help health care workers better understand the needs of the Deaf community.
The training program is designed to address the potential barriers that Deaf Australians often face in the health care system and aims to debunk the myths around providing adequate care through real-life scenarios.
In addition, Deaf Connect’s training ensures staff are better equipped to ask important questions, such as determining each patient’s communication preferences and understanding the needs of Deaf patients, which may include booking Auslan Interpreters.
The online Deafness Awareness Training program will also be rolled out to additional Local Health Networks across South Australia, with more to be announced in the coming months.
Quotes attributable to CALHN Executive Director of Allied Health, Chris King
We are pleased to partner with Deaf Connect to deliver improved health care services for consumers who are Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of hearing across our health network.
We have worked in collaboration with Deaf Connect to refine these training modules to ensure they provide practical advice for our CALHN workforce to support our delivery of services for our patients.
All patients have the right to make decisions regarding their own health and this training provides our teams with a tool kit to better communicate and understand the needs of people who are Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of hearing so we can achieve the best outcomes for our patients.
Quotes attributable to Deaf Connect Chief Executive Officer, Brett Casey
This collaboration with Central Adelaide Health Network marks a significant step towards making healthcare more accessible for Deaf community members and fostering greater understanding among healthcare professionals.
Deaf Australians often face barriers to healthcare due to misconceptions about Auslan and the diverse ways individuals communicate within the community, thereby impacting on their access. Our tailored Deafness Awareness Training provides hospital staff with the knowledge and skills to meet the unique communication needs of Deaf patients in medical settings.
By increasing awareness of the cultural and linguistic rights of the Deaf community, we can help create a more inclusive healthcare environment where all patients feel understood and respected. We look forward to the success of this program and working with other health organisations to encourage the adoption of similar practices nationally.
Visual descriptions:
Image 1: Two women are standing side by side in a bright hospital setting. The woman on the left wears navy-blue scrubs, and the woman on the right is in a black shirt with a Deaf Connect logo. Behind them is a festive medical counter decorated with tinsel, photos of dogs, and a red bow.
Image 2: Features the same women and setting as Image 1, except now they are turned towards each other. The woman wearing the Deaf Connect shirt is signing “Hospital” to the person in scrubs. They are both smiling.
Image 3: The same two people from the previous images are standing in front of a red and white wall. There is large text on the wall behind them that reads “EMERGENCY.” It appears that they are standing outside of a hospital’s Emergency Room.
