Deaf patient given wrong jab due to sign language error, report says
Summary
A deaf woman named Samantha was given the wrong vaccine at a UK doctor's office because staff did not provide a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter. A report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) found that disabled people often face communication barriers in healthcare, leading to serious mistakes and distress.Key Facts
- Samantha went to get a flu vaccine but was mistakenly given a Covid vaccine.
- Staff did not show her a BSL video that could have prevented the error.
- The doctor’s office got consent through Samantha’s grandmother, who had dementia and was not present during treatment.
- The PHSO recommended the surgery apologize and compensate Samantha £450.
- NHS organizations are legally required to support disabled people with accessible communication, like sign language or large print.
- The PHSO found many disabled people struggle to get vital information due to lack of accessible formats.
- Another case involved a deaf cancer patient whose family was asked to interpret serious news without a professional interpreter.
- NHS trusts involved have apologized and promised better communication support for disabled patients.
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