A pioneering British Sign Language (BSL) system called ‘SignLive’ has been introduced at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) to make services more accessible for patients, families, colleagues and anyone who uses BSL.
If you are a British Sign Language (BSL) user, you can use SignLive to contact the Trust 24 hours a day. The SignLive service is now operating at Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal, Furness General Hospital in Barrow, the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Millom Hospital, Ulverston Community Health Centre and the Queen Victoria Hospital in Morecambe.
SignLive is a free service that connects people to a qualified online BSL interpreter. The interpreter will relay the conversation between you and a member of staff. It can also be used for face-to-face conversations on site.
Barry Rigg, Head of Patient Experience for UHMBT, said: “SignLive is a great new service at our Trust which will benefit patients, families, carers, visitors and anyone who wishes to use BSL when accessing our services. We hope this service will vastly improve the experience for everyone who uses BSL to communicate with our Trust.”
SignLive was established in 2014 by Joel Kellhofer, an entrepreneur and active member of the British deaf community. SignLive’s technology is developed in-house by a team that has been working with relay and remote interpreting systems for more than 10 years. SignLive was the first service to offer 24/7 availability; a huge step in the quest for greater access, giving BSL users the option to contact organisations outside standard nine-to-five business hours.
You can download the SignLive app onto your mobile phone or tablet. Alternatively, you can use SignLive on your computer by visiting www.signlive.co.uk/login
You can log in using Facebook, Google or your email address. When you are logged in you can contact each of the six hospital or community health centre sites. It’s free through the SignLive ‘Community Directory’ by clicking on the hospital or community health centre name and then click on ‘call’.
A sign language video explaining SignLive at UHMBT is available here: https://vimeo.com/499599446
For more information please go to the SignLive website at: www.signlive.co.uk


MP hopes for improved mobile signal at last as new mast installed in Lancaster
Maternity services at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary officially exit national special measures
Crews tackle kitchen fire in Lancaster
Opening date announced for animal rescue charity's new Morecambe home
Lancaster MP takes on Morecambe 10K in aid of new children's playground
Tributes paid to twice-Lancaster mayor who served on council for 56 years
Dancing Eric Morecambe Statue part of police campaign to warn about AI deepfakes
PHOTOS: Great Wall of China trek raises more than £300K for Lancaster hospice
Another earthquake hits Silverdale as tremors felt across Lancaster and Morecambe Bay
Fire crews tackle vehicle fire on M6 near Lancaster
Poetry in motion as live workshop comes to Morecambe rail journey
Lancaster pupils highlight school crossing patrol road safety campaign
UK wide lettings agency takes over Lancaster student housing firm
Morecambe live music bar gets change of name
Firefighters put out large vehicle fire in Lancaster
Latest national rankings place Lancaster University third in north west
Work on new housing on Lancaster city centre car park continues
Lancaster District residents thanked for embracing food waste recycling
Police probe after spate of vehicle break-ins in Halton
LISTEN: Kindness has been overwhelming after Carnforth man's horrific swimming pool accident

