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Strong Local Voice, Strong Local ChampionAnnette Brooke, Lib Dem MP for Mid Dorset & North Poole |
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Local lipreading fees amongst the highest in England
February 25, 2009 2:34 PM
Annette is supporting the RNIDs campaign
New figures from the RNID, the charity working with nine million people in the UK who are deaf or hard of hearing, place both Poole and Dorset in the top ten most expensive local authorities for lipreading classes for the deaf and hard of hearing.
• Poole Borough Council has been ranked as charging the 3rd highest fees in the country at £213 for a 30 week course.
• Dorset County Council ranked 7th charging £135 for a 30 week course.
• A 10 week course in Poole will set residents back £71, and a course running from September to December for Dorset County Council would cost £45.
• This is in stark contrast to 66% of lipreading learners across England who pay no fee at all.
These figures have been given to Annette Brooke, MP for Mid Dorset & North Poole following her support of the RNID's 'Read My Lips' campaign to improve access to lipreading.
This issue has been raised by a number of Annette's constituents and she has previously been in correspondence with both councils about the cost and availability of lip-reading classes and has been fobbed off with excuses. Now, in response to these shocking figures Annette has written to the Chief Executives of both Councils asking for action to be taken to make classes in the area more accessible for those wanting to learn to lipread.
Annette Brooke, MP Mid Dorset and North Poole stated: "The fact that both of these authorities rank amongst the most expensive in the country for this important service is a disgrace."
"I have met many elderly people in Poole and Dorset who have told me that they would like to learn to lipread before their hearing deteriorates further. However, they are deterred by the high costs imposed by local authorities in this area."
Agnes Hoctor, Campaigns Manager at RNID said, "There is clearly a postcode lottery and older people in Poole and Dorset are getting a really bad deal. Lipreading is a vital skill to complement the use of hearing aids in improving communication in noisy environments and it is unacceptable that people in this area are missing out."
Annette has given her support to the RNID in their campaign to increase access to lipreading by signing an Early Day Motion in Parliament aimed at highlighting the difficulties that deaf and hard of hearing people have in learning to lipread.
Notes:
The full table of costs for a 30 week lipreading course:
1. London Borough of Sutton £241.00
2. Devon County Council £222.00
3. Poole Borough Council £213.00
4. London Borough of Harrow £206.00
5. Essex County Council £186.00
6. Manchester £184.00
7. Dorset County Council £135.00
8. Milton Keynes £135.00
9. Royal Bouorgh of Kingstone Upon Thanes Council £108.00
10. London Bouorgh of Hammersmith and Fulham £105.00
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