BSL-25 Swansea Bay University Health Board
Senedd Cymru |
Welsh Parliament
Bil Aelod
Arfaethedig – Mark Isherwood AS | Proposed Member Bill - Mark
Isherwood MS
Datblygu'r Bil Iaith Arwyddion Prydain (BSL) (Cymru)
|
Development of the British
Sign Language (BSL) (Wales) Bill
Ymateb gan:
Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe | Evidence from: Swansea Bay
University Health Board
The need for legislation
The British Sign Language Act 2022 requires
the UK Government to issue guidance about the promotion and
facilitation of the use of British Sign Language (BSL). This
however only applies in England and not to the Welsh Government or
public bodies in Wales such as councils or the NHS. The
British Sign Language (BSL) (Wales) Bill aims to place equivalent
specific duties on the Welsh Government and public bodies in
Wales.
Question 1: Do you think there is a need for this legislation?
Please provide reasons for your answer.
Not sure,
important to define expectations but unsure if legislation is
required.
Question 2: Do you agree or disagree with the goals that the
Bill seeks to achieve? Please provide reasons for your answer.
Yes, each of
the goals would raise awareness and importance of BSL in
organisation to ensure quality of access.
British Sign Language
Question 3: Do you agree that the Bill should include proposals
to promote and facilitate the use of BSL and its tactile
forms?
Question 4: Do you agree that the Bill should support the
various Welsh regional dialects of BSL?
Question 5: Do you think that the term ‘BSL users’
should be replaced with ‘BSL signers’, recognising that
BSL is a language which includes both deaf and hearing signers?
Please provide reasons for your answer.
Don’t
know.
Both words may
be appropriate depending on the context. If BSL user denotes BSL
use as a 1st language and BSL singer as including those for whom it
is a 2nd language then the needs of each group are likely to be
different.
Question 6: Do you think that the term ‘deaf BSL
signers’ can be used when referring to BSL users/signers who
are medically or audiologically deaf? Please provide reasons
for your answer.
No.
Deaf can mean
mildly deaf or profoundly deaf. A BSL signer with a mild hearing
loss may use BSL as a 2nd language or even for employment as a
translator.
Deaf Communities
Question 7: Do you agree or disagree that deaf
communities:
a) currently have a voice in the design and delivery of the
public services that they use? Please tick the answer that most
applies and provide any comments.
Neither agree
or disagree.
I only have
experience of design of audiology services which are probably
skewed and so I don't have experience of wider services.
b) should have a formalised voice in the design and delivery of
the public services that they use, especially ones targeted at deaf
people. Please tick the answer that most applies and provide any
comments.
Agree.
To ensure that
their particular needs are taken in to account, however it is
important to include all deaf people whether they use BSL or not as
each have different needs.
Question 8: Are there any specific communication methods used
by deaf people that you would like the Bill to
reference/include?
BSL, Sign
supported English, lip reading, written language, auditory
verbal.
Barriers that exist for deaf people
Question 9: What do you believe are the main barriers that
currently exist for deaf people and/or their families in the
following areas. Please tick all that apply and provide
information/examples on each area:
Establishing a BSL Commissioner for Wales
The Bill proposes to establish a BSL
Commissioner who would promote and facilitate the use of BSL, and
would have the same powers as other minority language Commissioners
such as in the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011.
Question 10: Do you agree or disagree with the proposal to
establish a BSL Commissioner for Wales, and, do you have any
different suggestions or alternatives? Please provide reasons for
your answer.
Question 11: The proposed remit of the Commissioner would be
to:
§
formulate BSL standards;
§
establish a BSL Advisory Panel;
§
produce reports every 5 years in BSL, Welsh and English on the
position of BSL in that period;
§
provide guidance and a process for public bodies to promote and
facilitate BSL in their respective domains;
§
establish a procedure for the investigation of complaints.
Do you agree with the proposed remit of the Commissioner, and
are there any other provisions you would like to include in the
Commissioner’s remit? Please provide reasons for your
answer.
I feel that a
language or communication commissioner rather than a BSL specific
commissioner would have a more holistic view.
Question 12: Do you agree that the BSL Commissioner and the BSL
Advisory Panel members should be fluent users/signers?
Question 13: Do you think that the proposed BSL Commissioner
and Advisory Panel should prioritise the following. Please tick all
that apply and provide reasons for your answer.
Access to
interpreters in public services. Improving BSL provision in
education; Early years language support for deaf children and their
families; Enabling deaf users/signers to lead the development of
policies and implementation of services for BSL users/signers.
All of these
would have a positive impact.
Question 14: Do you agree or disagree with the proposal to
place a duty on the Welsh Government to prepare and publish an
annual BSL report? Please provide reasons for your answer.
Question 15: Are there any other issues that you would like to
raise about the Bill and the accompanying Explanatory
Memorandum?