Diolch, Llywydd. I've agreed to allow one minute for both Joel James and Jane Dodds to speak in this debate. Regrettably, I'm advised that it's not possible for this short debate to have live British Sign Language interpretation, not least due to the complexities of doing so under the current restrictions and in a fully virtual Plenary meeting. But it will be made available with British Sign Language interpretation after the debate in the same way as is done with First Minister's questions each week. 

The report 'Deaf People Wales: Hidden Inequality', compiled by the all-Wales deaf mental health and well-being group, was launched at the 21 October meeting of the Senedd's cross-party group on deaf issues by one of the report's authors, Dr Julia Terry, associate professor of mental health and nursing at Swansea University, highlighting the challenges faced by deaf people in Wales who experience mental health problems and calling on the Welsh Government to make significant changes.

As the Chair of the cross-party group, I pledged to raise this report in the Senedd and welcome this opportunity to do so, in the hope that it may generate a positive response from the Welsh Government and help drive the change required. The report reveals that deaf people in Wales are experiencing significant mental health inequalities because there is a lack of accessible services, no specialist deaf mental health service in Wales and limited training about deaf issues for health and care workers. Issues raised by the report include: limited implementation of the all-Wales accessible information standards, meaning that deaf people still don't get information in ways that they can understand and engage with; a need for an advice and signposting service for individuals, families, and staff; a knowledge gap because lots of health professionals do not know about deaf counselling services for deaf people that are provided by deaf people; and deaf people have to be admitted to Birmingham, London or Manchester specialist mental health wards for full access to communication in BSL for assessment and/or treatment. As Dr Julia Terry states,

'The mental health of Deaf people in Wales has been a neglected issue for decades. Deaf people are already at twice the risk of mental health problems and find it extremely difficult to get help as services rarely provide accessible information or culturally relevant services. If nothing changes, the mental health of Deaf people in Wales will continue to be at risk.'

The all-Wales deaf mental health and well-being group, which includes a wide range of experts working in this area and collaborated with deaf and hearing professionals to compile this report, aims to raise awareness within the Welsh Government and other relevant stakeholders and to recommend ways to improve mental health outcomes for deaf people in Wales.