'I can't watch my parents suffer anymore': Glasgow woman's campaign to improve deaf services
Amy Hill's parents are profoundly deaf - and are often left in the lurch at health appointments
A Glasgow woman is telling Greatest Hits Radio she cannot watch her deaf parents suffer any longer - as she campaigns for better services and funding.
Dennistoun gym-owner Amy Hill said her profoundly deaf mum and dad are regularly left without interpreters at health appointments and cannot access tailored mental health support.
Amy's first language is British Sign Language (BSL) - and she can remember interpreting for her mother from as young as four due to a lack of resources.
'I feel so frustrated'
She said: "I've seen the struggles and barriers that they have faced throughout their lives, in particular with communication.
"They're not able to speak with doctors or anyone in the health sector unless an interpreter is present, which doesn't happen very often and then they rely on family members or friends of the deaf patient to come and interpret for them.
"It's extremely underfunded and I feel so frustrated about it.
"So if I'm feeling frustrated, I can't even begin to imagine how it would feel to go to a doctor's appointment and not be able to communicate your issues with them because nobody can communicate how you're feeling to the doctor.
"That is and has been going on since I was a child. I first interpreted for my mum at the age of four at a doctor's appointment and have been doing it since then.
"It's not acceptable, it feels like a basic human right has been taken away from the person because there is such a lack of funding for interpreters and loads of other things."
Access to mental health support
Amy added: "If you were to look into the mental health service in the deaf community in Scotland, I can't find anything that is tailored towards them.
"There's a service available in England but not Scotland and that's just another barrier for deaf people to face.
"I know of a lot of deaf people that have bad mental health because they can't communicate with a doctor or anyone in that department of psychologists.
"It just doesn't feel right that someone should have to face that barrier because of a disability and it's also just not practical to have family members and friends having to come and interpret for you when you could be talking about a sensitive issue that you don't want anyone else to know.
"I totally understand that the NHS is under a lot of pressure and strain but it's just how can the most vulnerable people be suffering because of a disability.
"It's important now for me that we really try our best because I can't watch my parents suffer anymore and that's one part of the problem.
"There are so many deaf people that are facing the same issues and something needs to be done about it."
'Sensory support service'
A spokesperson for Glasgow's Health and Social Care Partnership said: "We have a sensory impairment team to support people who are deaf – details and how to access are provided at: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/article/4795/Sensory-Support-Services.
“We have services available to support people and encourage the person to make contact with the team.”