Employing deaf and hard of hearing staff in the NHS
According to research from the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), one in three adults in the UK are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus, and over half the population aged 55 or more have hearing loss.
Deaf people and people with hearing loss are less likely to be employed than the general population, and over two thirds of deaf people and people with hearing loss have experienced negative attitudes or behaviours in the workplace. Deaf and hard of hearing staff can often feel isolated at work due to the barriers they experience, which prevents them from fulfilling their potential. This can impact productivity, and employers can lose skilled staff and incur the costs of recruiting and training new staff.
Due to discrimination and a lack of understanding, deaf and hard of hearing staff can often face additional challenges in gaining roles and progressing in their careers. Many deaf and hard of hearing people subscribe to the social model of deafness, which posits that the challenges they face are due to societal structures and attitudes.
The deaf and hard of hearing population is a huge pool of talent that employers can tap into. With the right adjustments and employer support, deaf and hard of hearing staff can not only thrive but also bring immense value to teams. As with any disability, is important to not assume that all deaf or hard of hearing colleagues have the same needs and to talk to staff about what they may need, treating everyone on an individual basis.
Some of the challenges facing deaf and hard of hearing staff in the workplace
The National Deaf and Hard of Hearing NHS Staff Network tell us that there are particular challenges faced by deaf and hard of hearing NHS staff:
- Most people who are deaf or have hearing loss have felt stressed at work because of the barriers they experience due to their hearing loss.
- People worry they will be treated unfairly at work if they disclose their hearing loss.
- Hearing loss and deafness contribute to some people deciding to retire early.
- Communication can be difficult if colleagues are wearing masks and visors, as many deaf and hard of hearing staff rely on lip-reading and facial cues to aid understanding. There can also be challenges in booking communication support, such as British Sign Language (BSL) or lip-speakers. This can result in colleagues being left out of team meetings or events.
- Background noise can be distracting and tiring, and some people may struggle to tell different sounds apart.
- Video calls can be challenging for people who lip-read or use captions, transcripts, and for BSL users. Factors such as network quality, lighting, and distance from the camera can also affect the quality of communication.
- The location of workstations can cause challenges, for example not being able to see colleagues or sitting in a busy hotdesking area.
- Over half of people who are deaf or have hearing loss report that people tell them ‘It doesn’t matter’ and change the topic when they are struggling to understand what is being said. This can be excluding and confusing for the deaf/ hard of hearing individual (RNID).
Top tips for employing and supporting deaf and hard of hearing staff
Employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments in the workplace for disabled people, including deaf and hard or hearing people, as set out in the Equality Act 2010.
NHS organisations can take the following actions to improve staff experience:
