SignVideo correspondence (FOI)

Request

A recent FOI elucidated that:

"Staff from both Health and Community Services (HCS) and Customer and Local Services (CLS) were engaged to evaluate potential solutions and brief Ministers. The Minister for Health and Social Services, and the Minister for Social Security both welcomed the introduction of the SignVideo service”.

Please can I have sight of minutes or correspondence on the decision to take up the SignVideo service between staff at HCS and CLS and the respective Ministers - some must have existed for them to "welcome the introduction", and also details on who signed off the costs involved and the contract. If not a politician, the title of the post-holder will suffice. Also the date the contract was signed, and for how long it would last.

Response

It has not been possible to identify documentation explicitly recording the decision to adopt SignVideo. Therefore, Article 3 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 applies.

The Disability Strategy identified the need for the Government of Jersey to adopt a remote British Sign Language interpreting service.

Disability Strategy for Jersey (gov.je)

Staff from both Health and Community Services (HCS) and Customer and Local Services (CLS) were engaged to evaluate potential solutions and brief Ministers. The Minister for Health and Social Services, and the Minister for Social Security were verbally briefed about SignVideo, and both welcomed the introduction of the service. They signed off their quotes in the press release linked below, which clearly shows their endorsement of its introduction.

New British Sign Language interpreter service (gov.je)

Deputy Judy Martin, the Minister responsible for Disability said: “I’m delighted that we’re able to make it easier for customers using British Sign Language to access Government services. From renewing their passport to attending a routine hospital appointment – I hope the SignVideo service will provide customers with a better experience.”

Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Richard Renouf, said: “Deafness and hearing loss can affect people of all ages and we recognise the difficulties that can cause. We are pleased to be introducing the SignVideo service to improve communication and aid understanding with Islanders who use British Sign Language.”

The costs and the contract were signed off by the Group Director, Customer Services. (CLS).

The contract was signed by the Group Director of Customer Services on 18 December 2019, then by the contractor on 19 December 2019. The commencement date of the contract was 23 December 2019.

The contract was for an initial period of one year, with the option to extend the Agreement in annual increments.

Article applied

Article 3 - Meaning of “information held by a public authority”

For the purposes of this Law, information is held by a public authority if –

(a)     it is held by the authority, otherwise than on behalf of another person; or

(b)     it is held by another person on behalf of the authority.