Hauora: A Story of NZSL Access and Support
Our Hauora work ensures Deaf people can access healthcare in their own language and make informed decisions
At the beginning of the year, a Deaf community member was experiencing significant confusion and anxiety related to their health. Although they were receiving treatment and had access to New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) interpreters, the complexity of the information shared by health professionals made it difficult to follow and retain. They felt overwhelmed by the amount of new information, unsure about the reasons for taking certain medications, and disconnected from decisions being made about their care. This lack of understanding led to increased anxiety and a sense of helplessness.
Feeling unsupported, the person reached out to our Adult’s and Seniors Service to explore what additional help might be available. A facilitator met with them, registered them as a service user, and worked together to develop a personalised Service Action Plan.
Two key goals were identified:
- Interpreter preferences – Ensure all health providers and iSign had an up-to-date list of the service user’s preferred NZSL interpreters, improving communication consistency and comfort.
- Access to health information – Support the service user to understand their health information in NZSL, with the facilitator present to clarify, summarise, and ask follow-up questions as needed.
Since implementing the plan, the service user has shown noticeable improvement in wellbeing. They reported feeling more confident, informed, and mentally clearer. While there is still progress to be made, they now feel more in control of their health journey.
The biggest difference has come from being able to access information in their own language and feeling empowered to ask questions. The facilitator’s support in navigating complex medical conversations has also helped uncover questions that had not been considered before. Most importantly, the service user now feels safe and encouraged to speak up, a powerful shift from their earlier belief that they “can’t ask.”
Next Steps
The service user continues to show a strong desire to better understand their health condition. They have been requesting more detailed explanations, but hospital doctors often have limited time due to consultant availability. We know there is more work that can be done so to address this, the facilitator will work with the community health nurse to arrange a dedicated session where the service user can receive clear, comprehensive information in NZSL and feel supported to ask questions and be heard.
For more information about our services, visit www.deaf.org.nz.
Deaf Aotearoa – The Voice of Deaf People in New Zealand
- Email: duty@deaf.org.nz (for Needs Assessments)
- Email: hello@deaf.org.nz (for information and advice)
- Free text: 8223
- Phone: 0800 33 23 22
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