BSL clip - Tips on making a complaint to the NHS in England

It is hoped that further positive changes are taking place in the NHS as a result of the NDCS My Life My Health campaign. However if someone does need to make a complaint to the NHS in England  the Parliamentary Ombudsman  has created the following advice and support video.













Who are the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman?

'Our Health in Your Hands' Campaign

A new campaign, 'Our Health in Your Hands', has been launched. It explains that you have a right under law to have an interpreter in a healthcare setting like a hospital and a GP surgery when you need one.
For further details http://www.ohyh.org.uk/

Stolen Future petition update

Last week the NDCS announced the Stolen Futures petition smashed through the 45,000 signatures barrier.

  

What does this mean? The NDCS Campaign team explain:

"We now have one signature for every deaf child in the UK, sending a strong message to the Government that they must step up to the plate and hold councils to account for decisions that are leaving deaf children without a future. You can help make this happen by asking your MP to get on board the NDCS listening bus when it visits Parliament on 16 May.  

This event will also be an opportunity for MPs to find out about what is happening to services for deaf children in their area this year. To see what's happening where you live and to share any concerns you have about services for deaf children there visit the NDCS online map.
 

 

Life and Deaf - 'Sign Good Morning campaign

On 8 July 2013, Life and the Deaf want TV and newspapers from all over the UK to say “Good Morning.” Rastafarian poet Benjamin Zephaniah and other celebrity supporters including Sir Ian McKellen, Rob Brydon, Nigel Harman, Joe Pasquale, Paul Ross and Sonali Shah have joined the campaign to get people to sign “Good Morning.” Check out their videos and more at http://www.lifeanddeaf.co.uk/good-morning/.

To add your video you only need 5 minutes and a smartphone or camera  to upload a video and photo of yourself saying “Good Morning” at http://www.lifeanddeaf.co.uk/good-morning/.

Follow the guidance below - for further information email info@lifeanddeaf.co.uk

www.lifeanddeaf.co.uk

Campaign for BSL Act of Parliament gathers pace

A campaign to establish a BSL Act of parliament to enshrine the rights of BSL users into law is gathering pace on Facebook. Plenty of sign language contributions are being added by people to the group which has grown to over 3400 strong over the weekend.

This comes ten years after BSL was recognised as an official language in the UK but since then, people who rely on sign still feel there is much to be done to recognise their rights for access.

One of the leaders of the group is John Smith, the BSL comedian, who came to Peterborough in 2012. John and other leaders of the group are meeting with the BDA today. If you believe in BSL - join the group and join the campaign!

Celebrity support for NDCS Stolen Futures Campaign

At the end of last year, Music and the Deaf members and some PDDCS youth members were invited to be involved in the NDCS Stolen Futures film which is part of their National Campaign to stop cuts to deaf education. The young people spent the day with Evelyn Glennie, musician and NDCS Vice President, learning about her musical instruments, her career and education experiences. It was rather exciting for those young people who had seen her play live, just a few weeks prior to the filming invite.

Alongside Evelyn Glennie, the campaign clip features Downton Abbey’s Jim Carter, Scarlett Johnson of Pramface fame and Paralympic medallist Ben Rushgrove sharing their views on cuts to services for deaf children. The NDCS are asking for your support to protect the future of deaf education, which has made some changes over the decades, by signing their petition.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/34073 

Help make a difference, share the video with others.

NDCS Campaign against cuts to education needs you!

NDCS are looking for your help to get 100,000 signatures to force the government to protect specialist services for deaf children. NDCS's recent report shows that services are being cut and threatened all across the country putting deaf children's futures in jeopardy. 

In Peterborough, the latest news is that the budget for deaf children is being increased and no staff cuts are planned in either the education or health service relating to services for deaf children - although NDCS are keeping tabs on the situation with a review due on 2012-13. The news is similar in the Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire areas. Check out your area on the cuts map.

Despite the reasonably positive news in our areas at the moment. The axe could fall at any time and has already in many areas of the UK with consequences for the future of deaf children. It's important that we keep the pressure on.

NDCS have nearly 17,000 signatures already, and to keep the momentum going they'’ve decided to hit the road with the NDCS Listening Bus. 100,000 signatures will force the Government to debate the issue in Parliament and intervene where councils are making harmful cuts. NDCS need PDDCS support to get the signatures - are you in?

The Bus will be in Theatre Plain at The Forum in Norwich city centre, Saturday 15^th December, from 10am to 4pm and they’re looking for people to come along on the day and collect signatures. Everyone is welcome for the whole day, but NDCS say that they appreciate that Saturdays are busy so even if you can only spare an hour, or just want to come and show support, they would really appreciate your help! Children are also very welcome.

Everyone who volunteers to help gather signatures will be given a T-shirt and clear instructions about what to do on the day. There will also be a short session from 10am to 10.30am to provide those who are interested with some more background to the petition and some campaigns hints and tips. Reasonable travel costs will be reimbursed and refreshments provided.

If you can't make it to Norwich, you can also promote the campaign by sharing this story or posting the link to the petition on your Facebook wall or via twitter. 100,000 signatures is possible - but only if you can do something to help too.

New international campaign - Captioning

This month an international media campaign has been launched to raise awareness of captioning in theatres and elsewhere. A new film produced by Collaborative for Communication Access via Captioning (CCAC) in the US has been launched as part of the international media campaign to increase the availability of captions and subtitles in all walks of life.

Captions and subtitles help many access media. Deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people from the US, Australia, Pakistan, Belgium, Russia and the UK explain why captions are so important to them in everyday life.
 
Watch the short film.

Share it.

Bad (and humourous) Subtitling Mistakes in the Headlines

The NDCS mothership made the news this week after their campaign about poor live subtitling hit the headlines with the Daily Mail.

The ITV show 'Dancing on Ice' was singled out for particular criticism following a string of horrendous mistakes which would have left subtitle reading viewers completely baffled and wondering, if the image above is anything to go by, if Dancing on Ice was about to melt.

Check out the article here: 

Act now to stop cuts to benefits for deaf young people

This week the NDCS Campaigns team have published this appeal for support:

"Deaf young people across the UK are in danger of losing their disability benefits. The UK Government is scrapping DLA for people over 16 and replacing it next year with a new benefit called 'PIP'. Many deaf young people now stand to lose vital financial support.

You can challenge this by emailing the UK Government now to tell them how they can change PIP so deaf young people won't lose their benefits.

Taking action now could give deaf young people back the benefits they need."

Email the government here

NDCS stopping cuts to education for deaf children in Stoke, but what's happening here?

Not so fast Stoke....NDCS take on Stoke Council at the High Court

Great news from the BBC that NDCS have forced Stoke Council to take their planned cuts to the hearing support service to a judicial review in the High Court. The review means that the cuts won't go ahead unless a judge approves them, all the arguments will now be made in a courtroom, rather than the council chamber.

Winning  a review is a small but very important victory on the road to protecting the education for deaf children in Stoke and sends a message about how NDCS mean business. 

The NDCS campaign 'Take Action' aims to fight cuts to children's services for deaf children all over the country - but what is happening in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire? 

Despite requests from NDCS for information, the picture in Peterborough is unclear.  Check this map out for information from around the country to see what is going on, although sadly, there's not much news from our neck of the woods. 

You can find out for yourself and pass the information on to NDCS (they don't seem to be getting any joy) and urge the councils in our areas to protect our services if they plan to cut them. All you have to do is click here and follow the instructions to send a message to your local council leader.  

Will only take a minute but might make an important difference  

Charlie Swinbourne Writes in the Guardian about Education for Deaf Children

Deaf writer and director, Charlie Swinbourne, writes in Comment is Free today about education in mainstream schools for deaf children. Charlie, who was educated in mainstream school using hearing aids and a radio aid was born in to a deaf family, writes about the NDCS campaign on education... Take a look and maybe add views...