The National High Secure Deaf Service (NHSDS) for male patients based at Rampton Hospital is currently located on Connaught Ward within the Mental Health Services Directorate. It provides a comprehensive multi-disciplinary team assessment, treatment and rehabilitation for a maximum of 10 deaf males irrespective of their diagnosis or treatment pathway within a high secure setting. You can watch a video about the support offered to deaf patients in the Hospital.
The patients are a diverse group with common themes:
- Language
- Culture
- Development
- Mental disorder
- Offending behaviour
Due to the diverse health, social and risk needs of the patients, the care and treatment of deaf patients includes patient involvement whenever possible, support of families and carers, and other Trust departments and outside agencies wherever practicable.
The multi-disciplinary team aims to work towards transferring patients to a lesser secure environment as safely and as quickly as possible.
The NHSDS aims to provide a national high secure service to deaf male patients and their families on an equal basis to the services that hearing patients and their families can expect.
The service recognises and values the use of British Sign Language (BSL) and acknowledge the importance and existence of deaf culture. It also recognises the wide range of communication methods other than BSL used by deaf people. These include Sign Supported English, Makaton and any other sign language.
The service recognises, respects and treats patients and staff as individuals regardless of illness, disability, age, diagnosis, culture, religion, classification under the Mental Health Act, race, religion, background, sexual orientation or language.
The service believes that there must be open and honest dialogue among practitioners, with all views being equally acknowledged and equally valued to ensure effective multi-disciplinary team collaboration. It recognises the need to maintain a balance of security and therapy to ensure the physical, procedural and therapeutic safety of the patients, staff and the public.
Deaf/Hearing Multi-Disciplinary Team
The NHSDS for male patients has a rich mix of deaf and hearing staff that includes:
- R.M.O (Responsible Medical Officer)
- Ward Manager
- Named Nurse
- Associate Nurse
- Support Nurse
- BSL/English Interpreter
- Therapist (music, art, occupational, drama or language)
- Psychologist
- Pharmacist
- Security Liaison Nurse
- Teacher
- Deaf Support Worker
- Deaf Development Advisor
Bridging the Communication Barrier
The deaf and hearing staff communicate using BSL, registered BSL/English interpreters and environmental aids such as minicoms, flashing light door bells and visual menus.
The Deaf Development Advisor and Deaf Support Workers work alongside the registered BSL/English Interpreters to facilitate communication between deaf patients and hearing staff by effectively translating the signs of the deaf patient into BSL/English.
The deaf and hearing staff also work together in transforming English written and promotional materials into visual material and/or BSL DVDs.
A copy of the service's patient information leaflet is available at the bottom of this page.
Contact Details
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
National High Secure Deaf Service
Rampton Hospital
Retford
Nottinghamshire
DN22 0PD
Tel: 01777 248321 ext 7811
Minicom: 01777 247273
Fax: 01777 247594
Email: lisa.spencer@nottshc.nhs.uk
