NHS funding for a service enabling deaf people to access healthcare remotely is not continuing.
"At first, the hospital suspected he had Covid due to a high temperature and put him in the ward with others who are also suspected of Covid, and the doctor asked us to agree to DNR ," Ms Trainor, who is also deaf, said.
"Luckily, my friend told me about BSL Health Access. I used it to phone the hospital for an update. It was great as I can talk in my preferred language with the nurse and doctor.Ms Trainor has since used the service for herself, and to support her parents with their appointments. Initially the charity invested £800,000 from its own reserves to kickstart the service while it sought funding, to ensure deaf people were not left waiting.
"Deaf people, whose health is already typically poorer than hearing people's, deserve excellent access to healthcare in British Sign Language."