Audio First, Visual Last? That Needs to Change. 💔⚡

Take a look at TV adverts, even major charities like the British Heart Foundation often skip subtitles.

That tells us everything: Deaf and hard-of-hearing people are still an afterthought, even in life-saving campaigns.

In the UK, we’re told to call 999 in an emergency. But what if you can’t hear?

Yes, services like:

📱 999 BSL (App)

💬 emergencySMS

📞 Relay UK (BT)do exist, but they’re poorly promoted, and most defibrillators rely solely on spoken instructions.

This leaves millions excluded — not just from getting help, but from giving it.

📊 Up to 12 million people in the UK live with hearing loss – that’s 1 in 5.

💔 We’re not just trying to save ourselves. We can save hearing lives, too, if we’re included.

This isn’t just about accessibility. It’s about life, death, and equal access to emergency care.

✅ Clear visual instructions on all defibrillators

✅ National awareness of non-verbal 999 options

✅ TV ads from all organisations with subtitles by default

📢 Inclusion saves lives. Stop designing for hearing people only.

#AccessibilityMatters #DeafAwareness #BritishHeartFoundation #DefibrillatorAccess