d Transcript: Jessica's experience of getting a COVID19 vaccine as a British Sign Language (BSL) user - RNID

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  4. Transcript: Jessica’s experience of getting a COVID19 vaccine as a British Sign Language (BSL) user

Transcript: Jessica’s experience of getting a COVID19 vaccine as a British Sign Language (BSL) user

Hello! My name is Jessica and I work at Lincolnshire Sensory Service.

I am here today to share my experience of going to get the first COVID vaccination dose.

LSS are contracted under Lincolnshire County Council and as we are key workers, they arranged for us to be booked to receive the vaccination.

Once the booking had been made by the council, we were sent paperwork explaining when and where to go.

My appointment was yesterday. I was given directions to attend a clinic on the site of Lincoln Hospital. It wasn’t in the hospital; it was next to the maternity unit.

Please be aware, that when you are asked to go for your vaccination, it may be at a different venue/process.

I went into the clinic and was asked my name, to confirm that I was on their list. I then went into another room where I had to complete some paperwork. The form asked me for my name, address, date of birth, NHS number, contact details and the name of my GP surgery.

The second section of the form was asking me about my health; did I have asthma, was I pregnant, did I have any allergies and so on.

Once that section was finished, I turned the form over to sign my consent to go ahead with the vaccination.

I returned the form to the volunteer who in turn gave me an appointment card detailing the date of my second dose.

I then went to meet the doctor. The doctor double checked the form along with confirming my personal details to make sure that I was the correct person. The doctor asked if I had had coronavirus recently and also explained the possible side effects of the vaccination and what I can do to relieve them.

Once the doctor had finished, I went to queue for the vaccination. The queue seemed to go down quite quickly and then it was my turn!

I went into the room and sat down. The lady asked me my name and date of birth and confirmed that they matched the details on her paperwork. Then she did the injection.

I then was told to go and wait in a different waiting room for 15 minutes just to make sure that I was OK and didn’t have any adverse effects from the vaccination. After the 15 minutes, I could go home. All in all, the whole process took 40 – 45 minutes.

Helpful tips:

1) if you inform the volunteers that you are deaf, they will change their masks from a material one to a clear one. Do this every time you meet a volunteer or doctor. This will allow you to see their face and lip read if you wish.

2) Also, if you use your own face mask from home, they will ask you to swap it for a blue medical mask, which they will provide. If you don’t have a mask at all, they will supply you with one.

3) If you are worried about communication during your appointment you can do one of two things:

a) Download the BSL health access app to your phone, where a remote interpreter can provide their interpretation service,

b) or you can contact NHS Topp Language Solutions (Lincolnshire contract with NHS) who can provide a local interpreter face to face/remotely. The choice is yours.

If you receive a letter with the appointment time on, you can contact Topp Language Solutions and they will be able to book an interpreter for you for that appointment. Please remember that when you receive your letter it is your responsibility to contact Topp Language Solutions. Also please make sure that your GP has your up-to-date contact details such as address and phone number.

It might also be worth taking your up-to-date list of medications (if you are on any) so that you can show the doctor during the appointment. Also, a list of any health issues that you have, just in case you need to explain them to the doctor. This will help the doctor to advise you accordingly.

If you would like to ask me any questions about my experience, I am more than happy to answer them.

That is all from me. I have covered a lot of information! I am feeling fine, the only side effect I have experienced is a sore arm at the site of the injection. But other than that, I am well.

I hope you are all well. Take care. Bye!

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