TranslateCommunicating with people who are deaf or rely on sign language
Two main communication services are available for people who rely on sign language (Auslan) to communicate:
- the National Relay Service
- Auslan interpreters.
The National Relay Service
The National Relay Service (NRS) is a free, 24-hour national telephone service for people who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment. It is also available to anyone who wants to call a person with a hearing or speech impairment. Training is free.
All calls through the NRS are relayed through a 'relay officer', who is the central link in every call and stays on the line to make sure calls go smoothly.
Calls can be made by a TTY (a special phone with a small keyboard and screen), Internet relay, video relay, mobile phone or landline phone.
Many options are provided through the NRS to meet people's needs:
- a person can type/read the conversation entirely via a TTY or Internet relay
- a person can use video relay to communicate in Auslan
- the relay officer can be the person's voice and read out a conversation to another person, listen to the response and type it back for the person to read.
Learn more about the National Relay Service
Booking an Auslan interpreter
If you need an Auslan interpreter, always use one accredited through the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).
Using other people to interpret is risky. Potential problems include:
- reduced confidentiality of patient/client information
- lack of skills in interpreting health information
- subjective decision-making about the information to be shared
- lack of quality control
- ethical issues, including intentional incorrect misinterpreting
- miscommunication that can affect a person's ability to understand advice given.
Most accredited interpreting services (except the National Sign Language Program) charge a fee, however the benefits outweigh the costs – for clients, staff and services.
Responding appropriately to language needs can reduce costs through:
- better quality of care and self-management
- lower risks (including clinical and ethical/legal errors)
- shorter hospital stays and fewer unplanned readmissions.
The National Sign Language Program (NSLP)
The NSLP provides free sign language interpreting and captioning services through Deaf Connect for deaf, deafblind or hard of hearing older people, including medical appointments.
You can access the NSLP if you are:
- Deaf, Deafblind or hard of hearing
- aged 65 years and older (50 or over for First Nations people)
- not eligible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Learn more about NSLP and Deaf Connect including how to book and which services are covered.
Expression Australia (previously Tasdeaf)
The Tasmanian and Victorian deaf societies merged in 2016 and rebranded as Expression Australia.
In Tasmania, Expression Australia provides advocacy, Auslan interpreting services, Auslan courses, Deaf cultural awareness training and education to workplaces and community support services. You can find office locations and contact details for Expression Australia on their website.
