DEAF patients with limited English should find visiting their doctors a little easier thanks to the latest web-based communications technology being used in Southampton surgeries.

At St Mary's surgery, Dr Kevin Reynolds and his staff are having great success with SignTranslate - a computer program with sign language video clips and the ability to translate a dozen different languages, from Arabic to Urdu.

Dr Reynolds said: "We've been using the program for about seven months, predominately the foreign language translation facility, as about a third of our patients use English as a second language.

"We have also started using the program with our deaf patients who use British Sign Language, and it has been very well received."

The deaf community now no longer has to rely on a third party to translate for them.

If the consultation needs a more in-depth discussion, they can choose to have a live video call with an online fully qualified sign language interpreter using a simple webcam.

Val Payne, from St Mary's surgery, who has been the driving force behind Southampton's take-up of SignTranslate, said: "We feel that this is a major step forward in assisting deaf people and an invaluable tool in communicating very important medical issues."

Other surgeries in Southampton, including Aldermoor and Chessel, are also now offering their patients the option to use the revolutionary program.

A demo version of SignTranslate can be viewed by logging on to signtranslate.com.

3:50pm Monday 18th February 2008

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