Lack of sign language interpreters ‘a threat to life’, TikToker’s inquest told

A lack of sign language interpreters for deaf people in medical need is a “breach of human rights and a threat to life”, an inquest has heard.

Penelope Schofield, the senior coroner for West Sussex who is hearing the resumed inquest into the death of deaf TikTok star Imogen Nunn, said the phrase was used in a report she has received as various institutions struggle with a shortage of British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters.

Ms Nunn died in Brighton on New Year’s Day 2023 after taking a poisonous substance.

The 25-year-old, who was born deaf, raised awareness of hearing and mental health issues on her social media accounts, which attracted more than 780,000 followers.

On Thursday, the coroner – who had to adjourn the inquest at West Sussex Coroner’s Court for two months because there were no BSL interpreters available to translate for two witnesses – called on the National Register of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People (NRCPD) to give an insight into the impact that failing to provide appropriate communication has on a deaf person.

The coroner said: “Following part of the evidence that we’ve heard, it became apparent that there was a shortage of BSL interpreters available at times when Immy was in crisis.

“It became apparent that this isn’t just a local issue, that this is a national problem.”

She added: “It became very, very apparent to me that this shortage wasn’t just unique to mental health cases, there were much wider implications.”

Report author Theresa Thomas-Morton, the NRCPD chief executive who has 25 years experience as a registered sign language interpreter, told the inquest: “I have been in situations where had I not been in that room, and had I not raised the alert because of something I’ve observed within a deaf person, because of that cultural and the socio-linguistic context that you work in as a sign language interpreter, there would have been a threat to life.

“There are certain nuances that as an interpreter you would pick up on.

“You certainly carry delegated risk as a sign language interpreter in those rooms, because you identify, perhaps, linguistic markers or cultural markers that can raise the alert to professionals that aren’t used to working with deaf people or don’t use British Sign Language – so that’s where the risk is raised if there isn’t a sign language interpreter in the room.”

Various reports since 2014 have showed that deaf people experience significant health disparities and “nothing really has changed” and the the deaf community still feels it is “ignored”.

Mrs Thomas-Morton said there may be “isolated cases where trusts have really worked hard” to make a difference, but added: “There are still inconsistencies in provision of interpreters in health appointments.

“There hasn’t been significant improvement in terms of information regarding health or engagement with the deaf community around their health, or health improvements, or improving their lived outcomes.”

More sign language interpreters and communication professionals are needed but there are also “systemic issues” which make it difficult for interpreters to be assigned to bookings, “especially at late notice and especially in a crisis situation”, she said.

Framework agreements and the contracts made with agencies that provide interpreters are among the issues standing in the way of provision being available when needed, the court heard.

Pay and whether the interpreter is given adequate information before attending an assignment are other challenges.

Mrs Thomas-Morton said: “If you don’t receive sufficient information about particularly mental health or crisis situations, it’s very difficult to make ethical decisions about whether you are the right interpreter to attend that assignment.

“I know in Immy’s case, obviously she was very well known in the community online, but also there is a sensitivity in terms of making sure that you are the right interpreter, so that you don’t cause any further blockages in her receiving care, just because you’re perhaps known to her from a previous assignment.”

In her report Mrs Thomas-Morton suggested “the lack of availability of a BSL interpreter has serious implications around safety, dignity and wellbeing”.

She said a deaf person needs sign language to help make sense of abstract information that someone who is hearing can take for granted, which could force them to make assumptions or to miss  lip reading patterns.

Mrs Thomas-Morton said: “I can imagine that that is incredibly exhausting and also quite distressing when you’re already in a place of mental health crisis.”