Peterborough man urges government to prioritise deafblind people in vaccine rollout

A deafblind man from Peterborough has urged the government to prioritise those like him in the next wave of the Covid-19 vaccine rollout after suffering ‘the worst isolation imaginable.’
Graham Hicks, with interpreter Linda Hindmarch.Graham Hicks, with interpreter Linda Hindmarch.
Graham Hicks, with interpreter Linda Hindmarch.

Graham Hicks (58) lives in Bretton and is a qualified cycle engineer with his own bike repair shop, Hix Cycles.

Graham is somewhat of a daredevil and has broken the world record for speed recorded on a quad bike twice as well as recording the quickest time between England and Holland on a jet-ski.

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He is also deafblind, after losing his sight at age three and his hearing at five-years-old. This means that he relies on the sense of touch to communicate and the help of others.

Graham Hicks.Graham Hicks.
Graham Hicks.

Despite the current pandemic, social distancing is just not an option for people that are deafblind but it has meant that many of the carers usually available to deafbling people are not so anymore.

As a result, Graham has said that he has become incredibly isolated and has called on the government, in an open letter, to give immediate priority to people that are deafblind and their specially trained carers.

He said: “Deafblind people who can only communicate through touch are being completely overlooked by the covid vaccination programme!

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“I write to draw your urgent attention to the plight of the hundreds of deafblind people living in our city who, like myself, are solely dependent on the sense of touch to communicate with other people. As such, social distancing is not an option for us.

“We have no choice but to communicate through the deafblind manual alphabet directly with another person sitting right next to us.

“Not surprisingly, given the high level of covid infections, many people who would normally assist us and provide the care we need are no longer able to help us.

“This has meant that I, and others, have been plunged into a desperate situation where we are fighting daily to find people willing to continue to support us.

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“We are experiencing the worst isolation imaginable where we may well not see anyone for days.

“I ask you to try and imagine being without sight, without hearing and in a permanent darkness and silence where your only contact with the outside world through touch is also taken away. This is what I and others are experiencing now.

“You’d think, given all the government guidance on providing services for deafblind people that the NHS would have remembered us and recognised the need to give us priority in the vaccination programme. Yet I have been reliably told by someone working within senior NHS management that ‘nobody has thought about deafblind people yet.’

“I have spent weeks writing and speaking to my GP surgery in Bretton and to the city hospital. Nobody shows any real concern for us. It’s as though the NHS has no understanding of the desperate situation we’ve been left in by the Covid outbreak.

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“There is absolutely no sign of any urgency in this emergency! Despite government directives that have repeatedly flagged up and highlighted the special needs of people who are deafblind nothing is being done.

“I am profoundly disturbed, frustrated and angry at the real lack of empathy and willingness on the part of those who have a duty of care to act. In all honesty and seriousness, talking to these people you’d never have thought we were in the middle of a national emergency!

“Through this letter I want to raise public awareness of the daily barriers faced by deafblind people but most importantly, I am making an urgent appeal to the NHS to recognise our plight and give us, (and our specially trained support workers), immediate priority for the Covid vaccination!”

Deafblind UK, who are based in Peterborough, have echoed Graham’s concerns about the lack of support and have urged anyone struggling to get in touch.

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Steve Conway, Deafblind UK CEO, said: “The lockdown restrictions are causing a great deal of difficulties for people who are deafblind and we urge anyone who is struggling to contact our free helpline for practical and emotional support.

“Many people who are deafblind rely on physical contact and social distancing is extremely difficult.

“The Government’s vaccination policy prioritises those most vulnerable because of their age or their medical conditions.

“Although many of the people we support are in the top priority groups because of their age, we do recognise the additional challenges the deafblind community faces, and we have staff and volunteers available to help whenever we can.

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“We are aware that Peterborough’s vaccination program is happening quickly but in the meantime, we ask the general public to be aware of people around them who may have sight and hearing loss, and to do what they can to protect each other.

“If someone is getting too close to you then maybe they can’t see you, so be aware, and keep extra distance where possible.”

“Our helpline can be contacted on 0800 132320 or [email protected]. We also have text and BSL options available.”