Manchester City Council launches high-tech interpreting services for deaf people

Manchester City Council has launched a new, high-tech interpreting service, enabling deaf residents to gain immediate access to council staff, via video phones or a personal web-camera.

Simply by clicking onto the council's website, deaf people living in Manchester can be instantly connected with qualified and experienced British Sign Language interpreters working from a remote call centre.

Manchester City Council, which has become only the second local authority in the country to use the system, has installed a video phone in the new City Library and will shortly be installing one at its customer contact centre at First Street to work alongside the internet interpreting service, allowing deaf people to use the service to communicate with council officials. It can also be accessed through the Councils website from any laptop or PC that has a web-camera. The address is: http://www.manchester.gov.uk/health

Councillor Glynn Evans, executive member for adult services at Manchester City Council said: "This fantastic new service will enable deaf residents to gain immediate answers to questions about council services during office hours without an appointment - a service virtually unrivalled anywhere else in the country.

"Not only will it make their lives easier, it will allow us to provide an improved interpreting service at a much lower cost - and enable deaf resident to communicate with us from their homes, offices or via the City Library video phone on equal terms."

The service - called SignVideo BSL Live has been set up by London-based company Significan't.

Managing director of SignVideo, Jeff McWhinney said: "For the first time, thanks to the determination and the commitment of Manchester City Council, the deaf community in Manchester will be properly plugged-in to their services via the website.

"It is proof of Manchester Council's commitment in improving access to all its residents. Other authorities and public sector organisations could take a leaf out of their book and follow their lead in providing equal access to services for Deaf BSL users."

Brenda Hamlin, a Manchester resident from Northenden, said: I found it most helpful to see that the interpreters from the SignVideo are fully trained and of good quality. This is very important for me as it is crucial for sign language interpreters to be able to understand sign language especially when giving details such as dates of birth and to be able to relay conversations in a confident way to Manchester City Council's contact centre.

I would like to urge other sign language users to use Manchester City Council's SignVideo whenever they need to contact for such services like council tax benefits, sensory service or any council service. It is so much easier to use than to type on textphones and I am delighted with it."