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Student Paramedic's Deaf Awareness Training Integrated into UWE Degree
9 Sep
Summary
- Paramedic student organized sign language training for NHS workers
- Training now part of Paramedic Science degree at UWE
- Deaf people can use sign language to contact 999 but service stops on arrival
In 2023, Daniel Hunt, a 38-year-old student paramedic from Keynsham, organized basic sign language training for hundreds of future NHS workers at the University of the West of England (UWE). This initiative, which he undertook while pursuing his degree, has now been integrated into the Paramedic Science curriculum at UWE.
Hunt, who graduated in July 2023 with first-class honors, is currently a paramedic with the South Western Ambulance Service. He emphasizes the critical importance of sign language skills for emergency responders, stating that "Deaf people can contact 999 and use sign language on an app and request the emergency services, but once we arrive that service stops. So having sign language is absolutely essential."
The integration of Hunt's deaf awareness training into the UWE Paramedic Science degree program aims to ensure that future NHS workers are better equipped to communicate effectively with deaf patients and provide them with the necessary emergency care.
