Letters: Time to wrap up, Auckland – Grant Dalton was right; Hearing-impaired Kiwis missing from hospital language debate

Bernard Walker, Mount Maunganui.

Fair hearing

No one will argue that we desperately need more healthcare professionals. What’s missing from the discussion is the plight of people with hearing impairments, many of whom have difficulty with accents, even with hearing aids.

For some, there are times when it will be impossible to understand what the other person is saying, no matter how slowly they speak or how many times the sentence is said, and the only option is to ask for something to be written down, unless there is a family member. companion or support person available to interpret. This is not a reflection for the healthcare professional, but rather a reality of hearing loss.

As such, there will always be some patients who need/prefer to communicate with healthcare professionals with no or minimal accents, simply so they can understand what is happening. Such requests, in context, should never be considered personally, but rather as part of the patient’s needs. The key is that we are all capable of respecting and understanding each other, regardless of our background.

Christina Ilich, Glendowie.

Key connection

In the recent discussion about language use in hospitals, one important aspect was not mentioned: the availability of healthcare interpreter services that cover all of Auckland’s major hospitals.

The services employ and contract with professionally trained and certified interpreters, who are vital in doctor/nurse-patient consultations where the patient’s first language is not English. Hospital staff speaking to each other in their own foreign language should not be seen as damaging a patient’s right to clear communication unless a patient is directly involved. In this case, you should use the service of a professional healthcare interpreter.

Dr Sabine Fenton MNZM, Auckland Healthcare Interpreter Service.

Fireworks Appeal

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon prides himself on being a man of the people and listening to their concerns. He and his government have demonstrated that they listen to aggrieved homeowners, frustrated prosecutors, vapers, gun owners and people who want to drive faster and don’t like speed bumps. We ask him to please listen to us.

Every year, we watch Guy Fawkes Night approach with foreboding. This will mean keeping the frightened dog indoors, moving livestock to distant paddocks, being disturbed night after night by bangs and bangs and, as happened on one occasion, the potential for a fire in the nearby wetland.

Sparks and golden showers are fun in the backyard, but public fireworks events are much better. They are free and run by responsible people, not hooligans who can buy fireworks in the city center and disrupt the community for months. Please hear us, Prime Minister: ban the public sale of fireworks.

Ann and Basil Graeme, Tauranga.

Political irony

I can imagine a wonderful Gilbert and Sullivan opera based on the mysterious but well-funded Ministry of Regulation. The existence of this ministry would be a lot of fun if it weren’t depleting the public purse on a massive scale.

It’s ironic that people are losing their jobs and the real needs of the community are not being met due to financial constraints, and yet we have this new creation in Wellington that will undoubtedly grow and flourish.

JA Mills, Whangarei.

Charity Review

There should be a public demand for a review of all charitable organizations to determine their transparency regarding party political alignment, religious organizations presenting themselves as charities or vice versa, plus the dollar value that is used to provide services – for example, 90 cents of every dollar for recipients, or 90 cents of every dollar for management and CEO salaries.

The entire phenomenon of charity needs an urgent review, as there are currently too many variables in charity law. The public needs to know where their donations are going.

Marie Kaire, Whangarei.