| UK Council on Deafness | |
| [home] [search this site] [about us] [members] [news] [press area] [events] [publications] [campaigning] [consultations] [deaf awareness week] [grants] [affiliation] [contact] |
In this Report
Commons Written Answers (1 Mar 2005)
Disability Awareness Training
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on disability awareness training in 2003–04; and what information he collects concerning the (a) number and (b) occupation of training recipients.
Maria Eagle [holding answer 21 February 2005]: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) provides a variety of training for its staff which raises awareness of disability. It is principally aimed at advisers and other people who deal with the public but some is available to all employees. It includes an event called 'Dealing with Vulnerable Groups' which helps staff in dealing with people who are deaf or are visually impaired or who have mental health issues.
In addition to formal training courses, people are increasingly developed by a variety of other means, including mentoring and e-learning in the work place. These include The Diversity Toolkit, which offers a range of training options and which won a British Diversity silver award in the innovation and awareness category in 2004. The disability awareness strand of this has been made compulsory for staff in several DWP businesses.
Although the Department works in partnership with external organisations to develop disability awareness products, training is only delivered to the Department's own staff.
The Department does not collect information about the numbers of its staff who access particular types of training or the cost of delivering different types of training. This information could be collected only at disproportionate cost.
Commons Written Answers (2 Mar 2005)
Deaf People (Public Service Delivery)
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who the (a) members and (b) chairman is of the inter-departmental group established to oversee the delivery of public services to deaf and hard of hearing people in Northern Ireland; what the group's terms of reference are; whether the minutes of its meetings are published; and what reports it has published.
Angela Smith: In January 2004, a Sign Language Partnership Group was formed to allow Northern Ireland Government Departments to work with representatives of the Deaf community in Northern Ireland to identify and recommend a course of action to improve respect, understanding and tolerance of British and Irish Sign Languages (BSL and ISL).
The group is chaired by the Head of Cultural and Language Diversity Policy Branch in the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure. Other members are from the following organisations:
The British Deaf Association, Royal National Institute for the Deaf, Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People, Hands that Talk, National Deaf Children's Society, Northern Ireland Deaf Youth Association, Deaf Senior Citizens and all Northern Ireland Government Departments.
Minutes of meetings are circulated to attendees.
Reports recommending action (a) to enhance the supply of BSL and ISL interpreters and tutors, in line with demand and (b) to raise awareness of BSL and ISL, have been prepared and approved.
. Commons Written Answers (7 Mar 2005)
Digital Hearing Aids (Gloucester)
Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been allocated to help improve the delivery time for digital hearing aids in Gloucester.
Ms Rosie Winterton: In 2004–05, Gloucester Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust has received £472,000 through the modernising hearing aid services programme to sustain its modernised hearing aid service, and to implement capacity initiatives such as public private partnership schemes.
This funding is in addition to the historical audiology funding which is locally determined.
Commons Written Answers (9 Mar 2005)
Digital Hearing Aids
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the Government's policy is on supplying digital hearing aids to those who have been diagnosed to be in need of them;
(2) what the Government's timetable is for providing digital hearing aids to those diagnosed to be in need of them.
Dr. Ladyman: The Department has invested £125 million into the modernising hearing aid services (MHAS) project since it started in September 2000. MHAS has been retaining audiologists and modernising national health service services in a phased way to enable them to offer digital hearing aids to people who would benefit from them. 95 per cent., of all NHS audiology departments in England are fitting digital hearing aids routinely to those people they have diagnosed as suitable and the few remaining departments will be offering the service by the end of March 2005.
We have recently announced new waiting time targets for NHS diagnostic services so that, by 2008, nobody will have to wait longer than 18 weeks from referral to receiving their digital hearing aid if that is what they require.
Commons Written Answers (14 Mar 2005)
Deaf People (Public Service Delivery)
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what assessment he has made of the amount of training provided for civil servants in Northern Ireland to enable them to communicate with the deaf and hard of hearing; and how many civil servants in Northern Ireland are (a) trained and (b) undertaking training in sign language;
(2) what funding has been made available to enable civil servants in Northern Ireland to learn (a) British Sign Language and (b) International Sign Language to (i) Level 1 and (ii) Level 2 in each of the last five years; and what measures he is taking to encourage civil servants to undertake such training.
Mr. Pearson: Assessment of the amount of the amount of training required is made at the business level, in most cases by front-line managers, who are best placed to identify the need.
A record of the total number of staff with signing skills is not currently maintained. However, training records over the past three years (from 1 April 2002 to date) show that nine civil servants have been trained in British Sign Language, eight at Level 1 and one at Level 2. A further eight are currently undertaking training in British Sign Language, seven at Level 1 and one at Level 2. This training has been provided at a cost of £1,539 for Level 1 and £473 for Level 2. In addition to sign language training, 774 staff have received training in deaf awareness/introduction to sign language/communication with the deaf and hard of hearing/use of text phones.
Funds are made available to meet identified need in a particular business area. When a need is identified, staff are encouraged to put themselves forward for the appropriate training.
This response includes the Northern Ireland Departments and their agencies and the Northern Ireland Office.
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether a communication audit has been conducted to assess the extent to which Government services are accessible to deaf people in Northern Ireland.
Angela Smith: A communication audit has not been conducted but several departments are working in partnership with representatives of the deaf community, to develop ideas for improving access to public services for sign language users.
Commons Written Answers (17 Mar 2005)
NORTHERN IRELAND - Deaf People (Public Service Delivery)
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken in the last three years to ensure that deaf and hard of hearing people have equality of access to Government services.
Mr. Spellar: Over the past three years significant work has been initiated or completed to improve communication between staff in Government Departments in Northern Ireland and people who are deaf or have a hearing impairment.
Examples of steps taken across Departments are as follows:
The formation of a partnership group whereby Departments, led by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, are working in partnership with representatives of the deaf community to develop ideas for improving access to public services by users of sign language;
Sign language interpreters are provided at public events;
The issue of guidance in 2004 from the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service to all Departments to ensure external events are fully accessible to people with disabilities;
Departments have been delivering training in deaf awareness, sign language and in the use of text phones;
The Department of Finance and Personnel is implementing a programme to ensure people with disabilities can have physical access and communication access to Government buildings. This includes the installation of Deaf Loop systems (at counter points, reception areas and designated rooms in all buildings with a public interface), Deaf Alerter systems for evacuation purposes, Beacons in toilet areas, Quematic systems in public offices, Signage and Text Phones;
The Promoting Social Inclusion Working Group on Disability was established in 2004. This comprises members of Government Departments and those representing people with disabilities and is examining how services can be improved to better address the needs and rights of disabled people including those who are deaf or have a hearing impairment. This work includes conducting a major survey of people with disabilities across Northern Ireland during 2005.
Examples of good practice within Departments are as follows:
The Social Security Agency (SSA) is working in partnership with the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) on a pilot scheme which will identify possible improvements on services for customers with hearing impairments. Furthermore the SSA has given a commitment to work towards the RNID's "Louder than Words" Charter Mark of best practice;
The Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency of the Department of the Environment makes extra time available to theory test candidates, if required;
Trainees with a disability, including those who are deaf or have a hearing impairment, who enter Jobskills, are entitled to additional training time and funding to assist them in achieving their qualifications;
The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has provided support under the PEACE II programme for a project which will provide training, support and networking for people who are deaf or have a hearing impairment;
The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise identifies students who are deaf or have a hearing impairment when they enrol. Each student with such a disability is assigned a personal tutor;
The Department of Education in co-operation with the National Deaf Children's Society has issued two booklets, " Deaf Friendly Schools" and " Deaf Friendly Nurseries and Pre-schools", which provide a clear and friendly view of the context in which young deaf people's education takes place.
All of the above are examples of the standards which Government have set and will continue to review and improve by working in partnership with organisations representing people who are deaf or hearing impaired and from disabled people themselves via consultation and the gathering of information.
[back to Deafness in Parliament]
| [home] [search this site] [about us] [members] [news] [press area] [events] [publications] [campaigning] [consultations] [deaf awareness week] [grants] [affiliation] [contact] |
UK Council on Deafness, Registered Charity Number 1038448
Your use of this site is in accordance with our Privacy Statement
© UK Council on Deafness, 2003-5.
|
|
 |
 |