In her TED Talk, Dr Natasha Wilcock, a palliative care doctor and NHS Clinical Entrepreneur specialising in deaf awareness training, shares her journey and mission to transform healthcare for the deaf community.

As a deaf individual herself, Dr Wilcock has faced numerous challenges throughout her medical education and career. These experiences have fuelled her passion to dismantle the barriers that hinder both deaf healthcare professionals and patients.

Dr Wilcock highlights the significant proportion of the UK population affected by deafness—1 in 4 adults, with the number rising to 80% among those over 70. Despite this, deaf individuals often encounter discriminatory behaviour, inaccessible communication, and poor access to healthcare services. These issues not only affect patients but also impact deaf healthcare staff and others interacting with the health system.

To address these challenges, Dr Wilcock has set up IDA- an organisation which aims to improve the experience and outcomes of deaf people in healthcare. IDA has a unique approach as it does not teach simple deaf awareness, but deaf insight- through teaching by deaf clinicians- it teaches the experiences of deaf people in healthcare and gives clinicians specialist communication skills to ensure they can provide accessible care to deaf people. 

Dr Wilcock emphasises the importance of understanding the unique needs of deaf people and recognising deaf staff as valuable assets to the healthcare system. Her work not only  aims improves the experiences of deaf patients but also fosters a more inclusive and supportive environment for deaf healthcare professionals.

Through her TED Talk, Dr Wilcock hopes to inspire change and encourage the healthcare community to embrace deaf awareness, ultimately leading to better health outcomes and a more equitable healthcare system for all.

If you would like to know more about the work of IDA please visit their website at https://www.ida-training.com/