Introduction to 999 BSL

This service allows deaf patients and hearing individuals to communicate from separate locations and attain the services they require. A deaf person can use their various endpoints (smartphone via an app or, tablets / laptops web-based) to initiate a call to the emergency authority, through a remote British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter appearing on their screen.

A hearing operator will then receive a call from the remote BSL interpreter, who then relays the conversation by seeing and communicating with the d/deaf individual on the screen. The national rollout date of this ‘new’ 999 BSL EVRS service launched at the end of June.