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<p>The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is committed to making its services
accessible for all its customers together with those who may have additional communication
needs including hearing loss.</p><p>Deaf and hard of hearing customers visiting Jobcentres
are able to access different support based on how hearing loss affects their communication
needs. Job Centres are equipped and currently provide mainly portable, but also some
fixed hearing loops across the network, for those customers with hearing loss. There
is a new initiative to improve our environments for disabled customers and those with
health conditions which will include people with hearing loss. This work is due to
start in October. <strong> </strong></p><p>For those customers who are deaf or hard
of hearing and attending a prearranged appointment with DWP, staff will already be
aware of the customer’s communication needs from DWP’s computer systems and have access
to a language services contract to pre-book an interpreter to support face to face
contact. The interpreter will be skilled in providing non-spoken language support
including British Sign Language (BSL).</p><p>Furthermore, a Disability Employment
Adviser (DEA) is assigned to each Jobcentre site. The DEA is skilled in understanding
the needs of disabled customers, including those who with hearing loss. The DEA provides
support to Work Coaches to ensure that Work Coaches are able to increase their awareness
and empathy when dealing with customers who have hearing loss.</p><p>The Employer
and Partnerships role within DWP forms effective networks with a variety of local
stakeholders, including organisations and charities that support customers with hearing
loss. These relationships are vital to ensure that DWP is able to provide consistent
and effective support to its customers.</p><p>On a national level, DWP has established
a range of networks with its stakeholders to provide a voice for the customer. The
Taskforce for Accessible Information, the Reasonable Adjustments Forum and the Operational
Stakeholder Engagement Forum all regularly meet with a cross section of groups representing
disabilities including those with hearing loss. The purpose of these forums are to
ensure that DWP elicits feedback and insight into how its services are being used
by those with additional communication needs and to seek continuous improvement.</p><p>Following
the expansion of Video Relay Service last year, whereby deaf customers are now able
to make an inbound telephone call to DWP via a British Sign Language interpreter using
a video connection, DWP is currently exploring how this technology can be adapted
to support video remote interpreting. This will increase the flexibility for DWP to
conduct face to face and telephony based contact with deaf and hard of hearing customers.</p>
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