Blue light training: Emergency service workers are learning British Sign Language and discussing mental health

A national training provider recently launched a programme designed to help emergency service staff improve mental health and wellbeing and learn basic British Sign Language.

Seetec Outsource has started the Blue Light Development Academy which includes important courses to help beat burnout, communicate effectively with all patients using British Sign Language, and deal with trauma caused by stressful work events.

This course forms part of Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Skills for Growth initiative and is fully-funded for emergency staff living and working in Greater Manchester.

The Manchester Stress Institute provides the wellbeing programmes for this academy.

We spoke to Richard Webb-Stevens - a deaf paramedic - who is helping teach British Sign Language to emergency service workers to provide vital frontline care to people hard-of-hearing. We asked him to show us some basic words and phrases that could help deaf patients get the treatment they need much quicker.