FOI/2025/26/259
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| Reference | FOI/2025/26/259 |
|---|---|
| Description | Deaf Patients and British Sign Language Interpreter Provision in Maternity Services |
| Date requested | 22/10/2025 |
| Attachments | N/A |
Request
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I would like to request the following information relating to maternity services delivered by Central London Community Health Services:
1. How many pregnant women had communication needs flagged under the NHS Accessible Information Standard (AIS) between 1 Jan 2020 and 31 Aug 2025? N/A as CLCH do not provide maternity services
2. Of these, how many were recorded as requiring British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation? N/A as per above
3. Number and percentage of instances where an in-person BSL interpreter was provided during:
■ Antenatal/prenatal appointments N/A as per above
■ Intrapartum period (labour and childbirth) - including but not limited to elective caesarean section and emergency caesarean section. N/A as per above
■ Neonatal period - including but not limited to intensive neonatal care. N/A as per above
■ Postnatal/postpartum appointments - up to 12 months after the birth - including but not limited to community midwife and health visitor appointments. Information not recorded by the trust.
If this breakdown is not available, please provide the total number of occasions when this was the case across all maternity services.
4. Number and percentage of instances where video remote interpreting (VRI) was used during:
■ Antenatal/prenatal appointments N/A as per above
■ Intrapartum period (labour and childbirth) - including but not limited to elective caesarean section and emergency caesarean section N/A as per above
■ Neonatal period - including but not limited to intensive neonatal care. N/A as per above
■ Postnatal/postpartum appointments - up to 12 months after the birth - including but not limited to community midwife and health visitor appointments. Information not recorded by the trust.
If this breakdown is not available, please provide the total number of occasions when this was the case across all maternity services.
5. Number and percentage of instances where no interpreter was provided despite sign language needs being recorded.
■ Antenatal/prenatal appointments - including but not limited to elective caesarean section and emergency caesarean section. N/A as per above
■ Intrapartum period (labour and childbirth) - including but not limited to elective caesarean section and emergency caesarean section N/A as per above
■ Neonatal period - including but not limited to intensive neonatal care. N/A as per above
■ Postnatal/postpartum appointments - up to 12 months after the birth - including but not limited to community midwife and health visitor appointments. Information not recorded by the trust.
If this breakdown is not available, please provide the total number of occasions when this was the case across all maternity services.
6. The number of: a. elective caesarean sections involving deaf, hard of hearing, hearing-impaired, or deafened patients N/A as per above
b. emergency caesarean sections involving deaf, hard of hearing, hearing-impaired, or deafened patients N/A as per above
If this breakdown is not available, please provide the total number of caesarean sections - elective and emergency - involving deaf, hard of hearing, hearing-impaired, or deafened patients.
7. Number of Datix incidents, complaints, or serious incident reports between Jan 2020 – Aug 2025 involving deaf, hard of hearing, hearing impaired or deafened patients. N/A as per above