Sign video and dDeaf Support in Jersey

Freedom of Information Request

The Government website says: Sign video is available from 8:30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

What alternative provisions are in place for deaf BSL users should they need to access BSL outside those times, for example, a medical appointment or emergency, a vaccine appointment, or any other engagement with States bodies for which appointments have been made outside of those times?

Response

Sign video is primarily accessed via www.gov.je which links to Customer and Local Services (CLS). CLS is open 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday. CLS Customer Service Advisors connect with Sign Video advisors and the relevant government service, for the three-way interpretation.

Health and Community Services access Sign Video between Monday and Friday (8am -2pm), and on Saturday (8am - 1pm). When the service is not available, where able, lipreading may be required. If this is not possible, conversations may have to take place in writing.

Staff at the Police Visitor Reception Centre can connect to Sign Video advisors during normal opening hours (8am – 8pm daily). Out of hours, any visitor in person can alert staff in the Combined Control Room of their presence from an intercom located outside the building.

Even though the individual may not be able to fully engage in speech communication, CCTV covers the immediate area, and an officer would be deployed to assist.

The States of Jersey Police also provides an emergency text service. The number is 07797 790999.

Further details can be found at https://jersey.police.uk/contact-us/how-to-contactus-if-you-are-deaf,-hard-of-hearing-or-speech-impaired/ .

The email sojp@jersey.pnn.police.uk is monitored 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Hearing loops (a special type of sound system for use by people with hearing aids) are installed in both the Police Visitor Reception Centre and Custody. Custody staff are also able to obtain assistance from a specialist Communication Support Worker.

There are no qualified British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters on island. The Royal Association for Deaf People (RAD) are currently assessing the need in the Island and providing an interim part-time service provision. Discussions are in progress with RAD about out of hours support for BSL users and will engage with the community on how best to achieve this in the interim and subsequently how it will be embedded into a long-term service provision.