The BSL Advisory Board set up by the Cabinet Office follow the passing of the BSL Act 2022, have published their first report entitled “Locked out: Exclusion of deaf and deafblind BSL users from health and social care in the UK”. The report has highlighted that deaf and deafblind BSL users face significant barriers to health and social care services. Barriers are not only limited to getting an appointment, but also accessing the information about their health / social care needs, understanding treatments, lack of service engagement, leading to severe inequalities in health and social care. They have emphasised 12 key recommendations that will unlock health and social care access for BSL users. SORD is one of the named research groups who have contributed research and practice evidence and supported the work of the Advisory Board throughout, given their specialist focus and priority on Health and Social Care inequalities. We congratulate the Board for their work, and fully support this call for action.

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