Deputy First Minister visits deaf service

Web cam for BSL users goes live

DEPUTY First Minister Nicola Sturgeon received an update on the new Breathing Space deaf service on a recent visit to NHS 24.

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing also heard about the work being done with the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) pilot service, Living Life.

She visited the Clyde Contact Centre to chair the Annual Review which looked at the performance of NHS 24 during the last financial year.

Breathing Space's ground-breaking deaf service goes lives in November and offers support for deaf people in Scotland through web cam technology.

People who are feeling down or depressed can contact the advisers via web cam and use British Sign Language to discuss their concerns in confidence.

The one-year pilot project is being supported by NHS 24, Scottish Council on Deafness and Deaf Connections and is being funded by the Scottish Government's e-health department.

Breathing Space national coordinator Tony McLaren said: “The service can help tackle mental health concerns amongst the deaf community in Scotland.

"It's vital anyone who is struggling to cope can access support no matter who they are or where they live and this new web-cam service can potentially allow thousands of deaf Scots to get the support they need."

Lilian Lawson, director of Scottish Council on Deafness (ScoD), said: "ScoD has always actively campaigned for fuller access to mental health services, including counselling for deaf people. 

"We are delighted that Breathing Space has taken a positive step
forward in recruiting BSL phone advisors so that deaf sign language users
can access this important service.

"We hope that other health services will follow this example for their online helplines and other services."
Deaf Connections community services manager John Speirs said: "Deaf Connections is delighted to see this innovative support service become a reality for deaf people. 

"Deaf people who are sign language users have to deal with communication barriers preventing them from accessing many of the positive services and resources which can often make a vital difference to people's wellbeing and ability to manage the day-to-day difficulties which affect us all.

"Accessing Breathing Space in BSL breaks down these barriers and will encourage people to use the service confident in the knowledge that communication will be in their own language and will acknowledge deaf cultural experience."