NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board (ICB) has been shortlisted for a national award recognising excellence in patient involvement and choice, following a landmark project inspired by the lived experience of a young deaf man in Cornwall.

The initiative, centred on “Isaac’s story”, has been recognised in the NHS Excellence Awards 2026 for highlighting the barriers deaf people face when accessing health and public services, particularly communication challenges that can prevent safe and timely care.

Isaac’s experience prompted NHS Cornwall and partners to take action, working alongside Diabetes UK South West and South Central, Hearing Loss Cornwall, and members of the local deaf and long-term conditions lived experience groups, as well as the Deaf Community Centre.

The collaboration has led to significant system-wide improvements, including increased deaf awareness and communication training for NHS staff, the development of British Sign Language (BSL) materials to make health information more accessible, and a national partnership with Diabetes UK to produce BSL diabetes advice films now used across the UK.

People with lived experience were involved at every stage of the project, ensuring deaf voices directly shaped the changes made.

John Govett, chair of NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB and NHS Devon ICB, said: “We are incredibly proud to be shortlisted for this national award. It shows the difference we can make when we listen to patients and act on their experiences.

“Isaac’s story has helped us understand the challenges faced by deaf people and has driven meaningful, lasting change across our system.”

Terence Spivey, chairman of Hearing Loss Cornwall, added: “Helping NHS staff become more aware of the barriers the deaf community face when dealing with medical issues is a giant step forward. Creating diabetes videos in BSL is the first step, and I look forward to more projects in the future.”