Deaf identity and patient–caregiver communication in the NHS

Is someone’s identity a social construct superimposed on an individual by a wider society, or is it formed intersubjectively at the interface of belonging and acceptance within a specific group? This question lies at the heart of communication problems between Deaf people who identify as carriers of a unique Deaf culture and those hearing people who regard deafness merely as a disability and a defect that needs to be corrected. As a result, some Deaf people reject the oppression by the ableist society to the point of choosing to have separate social lives as a cultural and linguistic minority. However, the lack of understanding and trust has disastrous consequences when D/deaf people communicate with hearing caregivers in a healthcare setting. With healthcare professionals demonstrating low deaf awareness, patients find it hard to make appointments, explain their symptoms to the doctor and acquire relevant health information. This article investigates communication failures in the UK healthcare system, considering them part of a bigger problem whereby society fails to recognize the needs of Deaf people and respect them as culturally and linguistically different.