NHS FIFE have appointed their first-ever dedicated British Sign Language interpreter based out of Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy. 

Mandy McCreadie took up her role within the Patient Experience Team in January with the aim of helping to improve the experience for deaf people attending hospitals in the Kingdom. 

She said: “I’m really excited to have taken up this new role within NHS Fife.

“Although I have been in the role for a short period of time, it has already been really rewarding to have been able to work with and get to know deaf BSL users coming into hospital.

“My hope is that we can develop the service further over the coming months as we try and make the experience of BSL users attending hospital that little bit easier.”

Mandy has been signing for more than 20 years and has plenty of experience as an interpreter.

In her role she works with deaf BSL users and staff across all healthcare services, supporting conversations between patients and clinicians and helping ensure that the views of patients are understood.

Mandy will also be signing written communications to patients in advance of clinical procedures to ensure that any information is delivered clearly in the patient's preferred language.

Although based at the Victoria, she will be working across all hospitals, community and GP practices and even home visits in Fife.

Director of nursing, Janette Keenan, said: “We are delighted to welcome Mandy as our first dedicated BSL interpreter.

“Although the use of BSL interpreters in the NHS is not new, having a dedicated member of staff on-site will allow us to be much more responsive to the needs of deaf BSL-using patients."