Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to ensure that patients who are blind and deaf can access a covid-19 test.

All test centres are supported by the 119 call centre, which uses Language Line interpreter service. A person can be connected to the call centre at a test centre where a Language Line interpreter can then facilitate any issues.

The 119 call centre is also supported by BSL Health Access. A British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter relays information over a video telephone call between a BSL user and the hearing person receiving or making the call. The Department, in collaboration with the Royal National Institute of Blind People, is currently undertaking pilots that aim to better understand the testing requirements for people with visual impairments and how we can accommodate their testing needs. The findings from these pilots will be used to improve the end-to-end user experience, from booking through to taking a test and receiving a result.