Deaf Australia Responds to the Death of Bruce Drabsch and Calls for Urgent Reform in Healthcare Communication Access

Deaf Australia is deeply saddened by the preventable death of Bruce Drabsch, a 92-year-old Deaf man, at Westmead Hospital. The Hospital’s Serious Adverse Event Review confirms that Bruce was denied access to an Auslan interpreter — his only language — during critical stages of his care.

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This failure breached clinical standards and violated his basic human rights.

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Access to communication is a human right. For Deaf Australians, Auslan interpreters are essential, not optional, for understanding medical information, making informed decisions, and participating in their own care. Denying this access is discriminatory and dangerous. It isolates Deaf patients, excludes their families, and can lead to devastating outcomes.

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Bruce’s death is a tragic example of systemic neglect. Despite existing policies and reviews, hospitals continue to lack consistent protocols for interpreter access, and staff often lack Deaf cultural awareness. These failures are embedded in a system that does not adequately recognise or respond to the needs of Deaf people.

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The Review of Auslan Interpreting Services in Primary Care commissioned by the Australian Government in 2023 found that while Auslan users have the right to an interpreter, the use of interpreters in practice is “poor quality.” The review identified systemic failures across three domains:

• Primary care settings: lack of Deaf awareness, inconsistent procedures, and limited capability to work with interpreters.
• Interpreting industry: workforce shortages and the complexity of healthcare interpreting.
• Policy and system landscape: fragmented funding, inequitable access, and lack of accessible information for Auslan users.

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Deaf Australia calls for urgent action:

1. Legislated Right to Auslan Interpreters in all healthcare settings, with enforceable standards and penalties for non-compliance.
2. National Deaf Health Access Framework, co-designed with Deaf communities, to embed culturally safe practices across the sector.
3. Mandatory Deaf Awareness and Auslan Training for all healthcare professionals.
4. Real-Time Interpreter Booking Systems integrated into hospital workflows.
5. Transparent Reporting and Accountability for communication failures in healthcare.

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We also call on all State and Territory Governments to:

• Urgently review and update their language access policies, ensuring they are inclusive of Auslan and Deaf cultural needs.
• Co-design and consult on these language policies with Deaf-led and disability representative organisations, including Deaf Australia, to ensure they reflect lived experience and community expertise.
• Review and update any existing Auslan interpreter booking flowcharts or Deaf Awareness checklists to ensure they are current, practical, and meet the needs of Deaf consumers.
• Introduce clear regulations and mandatory standards to make sure these policies are implemented consistently across all healthcare settings.

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Next Steps for Deaf Australia:

• Gather evidence-based data and collect lived experience stories from Deaf individuals to develop compelling business case studies that strengthen systemic advocacy for equitable healthcare access.
• Explore opportunities to design and launch a public awareness campaign highlighting the communication rights of Deaf people in healthcare settings.
• Advocate for policy and legislative reforms that provide stronger protection for the right of Deaf people to communication access in healthcare.

Bruce’s life mattered. His death and the experiences of many Deaf Australians before him must drive real change. We stand with his family and the Deaf community in demanding justice, accountability, and reform. This must never happen again.

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For years, Deaf people and advocates have fought for better communication access in healthcare. It’s time to unite and make this change happen together.

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We call on the public to take action:
• Share this message to raise awareness.
• Fill out our sign-up form to share your own experiences and help build evidence for change: https://forms.office.com/r/NDtyXFfMi6
• Join Deaf Australia as a member to stay informed, get involved in campaigns, and support our work for systemic reform: https://www.deafaustralia.org.au/get-involved/member

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Together, we can make sure no Deaf person is left without a voice in their own care.

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Media Contact:
Shirley Liu, Chief Executive Officer
Email: ceo@deafaustralia.org.au

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