New sign language course aims to make veterinary services more accessible

Clarity Professional has launched a new online course in British Sign Language (BSL) specifically for veterinary staff, aiming to make veterinary services more accessible and inclusive.

Clarity, founded in 2024 by Dr Hannah Perrin, is offering the course at a significantly subsidised rate in order to upskill as many veterinary teams as possible.

Dr Perrin said,

“Over 12 million people in the UK are Deaf or have hearing loss.  How many of those people are our clients, colleagues, or students?  Learning some simple BSL can make a world of difference in communicating with empathy and understanding.”

The eight week course includes weekly live sessions and new BSL vocabulary to learn and practise, covering greetings, animals and anatomy, routine care, diagnostics, treatment, administration and emergencies.  Participants will also gain an introduction to Deaf culture, with Deaf awareness embedded throughout. 

Dr Perrin added,

“Being more aware of how to communicate with people who are Deaf or have hearing loss means that veterinary teams will be better able to serve the people they interact with every day.  These skills will give teams the confidence to welcome Deaf clients to their practice and provide inclusive, compassionate service at every stage.”

The course is open for registration now at https://clarity-pro.co.uk/product/bsl-and-deaf-awareness/.  Discounted rates are available for students and charities.