HC Deb 19 May 2004 vol 421 c1019W
David Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans there are to introduce deaf and disability awareness training for front-line NHS staff. [170967]

Mr. Hutton

NHSU, the organisation set up by the Department to establish a university for the national health service, is leading the development and delivery of disability equality and awareness training tools and resources as part of a wider disability learning and development strategy. An initial prototype learning programme, aimed at providing staff with a broad overview of disability awareness, will be ready for consultation in the autumn.

There are no plans for centrally funded training programmes that deal specifically with deaf awareness.