'These are the worst things about being deaf - and they're not what people might think'

A deaf man has opened up about the struggles he faces every day – from being left stranded on train platforms to problems lipreading.

Trevor Borthwick-Hare, from Bury, was born deaf after inheriting the condition from his parents.

The 69-year-old communicates in British Sign Language and is skilled at lipreading so he can talk to anyone.

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But that hasn’t stopped him facing major obstacles throughout his life – most being normal everyday situations that many of us take for granted.

“If I want to travel anywhere by train. I can be left stranded if there is a platform change for the train and is announced by tannoy,” he told the Manchester Evening News.

“If I want to go to my GP, I don’t just have to wait for an appointment, I also have to wait for a British Sign Language interpreter to be available.

“If the medical need is urgent, then I may be forced to try and lipread my GP.”

And Trevor says there are many misunderstandings about lipreading, making it difficult for those trying to understand it.

“There are a lot of misconceptions regarding lipreading, that it’s easy, but it isn’t,” he added.

“People often cover their mouth, talk while their mouth is full or exaggerate their lip pattern.

“All these things and more make lipreading very difficult. If I haven’t caught the beginning of a conversation, then I can’t get the gist of what I’m trying to lipread. Trying to lipread medical jargon is even more difficult.”

Despite the barriers, Trevor has studied and worked many jobs throughout his life, ranging from a shoe finisher, joiner, lathe engineer, paint sprayer, spot welder and fork instructor.

Trevor attended the Elmete Hall School for the Deaf in Leeds before studying at Durham University.

In 1988, he became a lecturer at Leeds University for deaf students learning Information Technology. Trevor has also worked as a freelance relay interpreter in courts, solicitor and police interviews.

“Being deaf is normal to me, it is all I have ever known,” he continued. “So all of my experiences of deafness are positive. In fact, the biggest misconception is that deaf people are not proud to be deaf. That deaf people want to be cured. That deafness should be pitied.

“That isn’t true at all. I am incredibly proud to be deaf. Of course, being deaf can bring unique challenges that not everyone will experience, but it should also be celebrated and every person needs to be valued.”

Trevor now works as the communication and translation specialist at Cygnet Hospital Bury, which offers a range of mental health services for deaf people.

Cygnet provides highly specialised services for men and women who are Deaf or hard of hearing and who have complex mental health needs including mental illness, personality disorder, autism spectrum disorder or learning disability.

Trevor supports patients at Cygnet Hospital Bury to have access to information so they can participate safely and as fully as possible in their care to achieve the outcomes required to be discharged from hospital and continue their care pathway successfully.

“I have gained a lot of experiences and training opportunities throughout my current career," he said.

“But far and away the most rewarding job I have done is helping men and women struggling with their mental health access the support they need and deserve.”

“The most fulfilling part of my job is to see how my adaptations are supporting patients with their recovery," he added. "I do these to the best of my ability and to the highest standard possible to match their needs.”

Explaining how businesses and the wider society can become more inclusive to the deaf community, Trevor said: “It is really important that employers do not give deaf people any barriers, particularly for promotion and progression. Find out what adjustments you can make to reduce stress and improve wellbeing. They might be small shifts - but they can make a big difference to the deaf community.

“It would be fantastic to see more deaf people as directors of large organisations, which would hopefully inspire others and make deaf people realise that anything is possible.

“It would also be lovely for many hearing people to learn sign languages that will enable them to communicate with deaf people in the UK. BSL should be in the education curriculum for hearing children to learn. It will help deaf children to communicate with their peers and lead to fewer incidents of bullying in the school and community.”

Trevor also gave advice on how to support deaf people in the community. He said: “It is important to educate yourself. Many people remain unaware of what life is like for a deaf person and the struggles they face.

“There are several things you can do to improve communication with deaf people. Speak one word at a time and don’t speak too slowly or quickly. Smile and relax so they can see nice body language and keep your mouth on show. Speak clearly without shouting and face towards the person while you’re speaking. Repeat if you need to do so.

“It is also important to remember that no two people are the same. Many deaf people have different communication approaches, and some may use combined methods like hearing aids and lipreading. Don’t let worries about saying the wrong thing or approaching the topic stop you from having the conversation altogether.

“Instead, simply ask how they communicate and what you can do to help. This way you’re respecting their needs and finding out what works.”