BSL Availability - FOI Response Register

1. What provision currently is there for a BSL translation of written correspondence?

An increasing range of translated health information is available online through NHS Inform: https://www.nhsinform.scot/translations/. Translation of NHS Shetland specific documents into different languages and alternative formats is not always useful and therefore will typically only be actioned on request.

2. Do you have any plan to increase provision by 2024?

We keep requests for translations under review, and should a particular requirement become apparent, we would endeavour to resource this accordingly.

3. What are your aspirations for improving accessibility for BSL users in your correspondence at the next release of your BSL plans?

We do not have a BSL plan at NHS Shetland level. We signpost to Contact Scotland on our website – a Scottish Government funded tool which enables deaf patients to contact landlines through an online interpreter from their mobile device. This is also available for staff to make a call to a deaf patient via this tool.