Communicating with people who are deaf or rely on sign language

Two main communication services are available for people who rely on sign language (Auslan) to communicate:

• the National Relay Service
• Auslan interpreters.

The National Relay Service

The National Relay Service (NRS) is a free, 24-hour national telephone service for people who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment. It is also available to anyone who wants to call a person with a hearing or speech impairment. Training is free.

All calls through the NRS are relayed through a 'relay officer', who is the central link in every call and stays on the line to make sure calls go smoothly.

Calls can be made by a TTY (a special phone with a small keyboard and screen), Internet relay, video relay, mobile phone or landline phone.

Many options are provided through the NRS to meet people's needs:

• a person can type/read the conversation entirely via a TTY or Internet relay
• a person can use video relay to communicate in Auslan
• the relay officer can be the person's voice and read out a conversation to another person, listen to the response and type it back for the person to read.

Learn more about the National Relay Service

Auslan interpreting

If you need an Auslan interpreter, always use one accredited through the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).

Using other people to interpret is risky. Potential problems include:

• reduced confidentiality of patient/client information
• lack of skills in interpreting health information
• subjective decision-making about the information to be shared
• lack of quality control
• ethical issues, including intentional incorrect misinterpreting
• miscommunication that can affect a person's ability to understand advice given.

Most accredited interpreting services (except NABS Interpreters, see below) charge a fee, however the benefits outweigh the costs – for clients, staff and services.

Responding appropriately to language needs can reduce costs through:

• better quality of care and self-management
• lower risks (including clinical and ethical/legal errors)
• shorter hospital stays and fewer unplanned readmissions.

Expression Australia (previously Tasdeaf)

The Tasmanian and Victorian deaf societies merged in 2016 and rebranded as Expression Australia.

In Tasmania, Expression Australia provides advocacy, Auslan interpreting services, Auslan courses, Deaf cultural awareness training and education to workplaces and community support services. You can find office locations and contact details for Expression Australia on their website.

Learn more about interpreter services in Tasmania

NABS interpreters

The National Auslan Interpreter Booking and Payment Service (NABS) provides free interpreters for private health, allied health or medical care appointments, including specialists in private consulting rooms within hospitals.

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sign-language users, interpreters are provided free for private and public health, allied health or medical care appointments.

Quotes are available for interpreting services in public and private hospitals and for other services.

Learn more about NABS interpreters including how to book and which healthcare providers are covered.