Glynn Rolland spoke to us as part of National Deaf Awareness week 2024. Glynn is an administration manager in the NIHR Cambridge clinical research facility who has been deaf since birth. Here Glynn shares more about working at CUH.
My name is Glynn Rolland, she/her. I am an administration manager in the NIHR Cambridge Clinical Research Facility (opens in a new tab) based in the Cambridge Clinical Research Centre (CCRC). I wanted to share my story as part of National Deaf Awareness week, as those of you who do not know me, may not know that I am profoundly deaf. This is not a progressive deafness, I have been like this since birth. I am a self-taught lip reader, and put sounds together with lip movement and facial expressions to work out what is being said. It can be very hit and miss at times, the telephone and masks being the worst struggle, but hey, I generally get there, it just takes me a little longer.
I started at CUH in 2003 as a ward clerk on ward R4 (which is long gone now). I was re-deployed after the ward closed, and secured a job in oncology. From 2004 I was an oncology bed manager, moving into cancer trials for eight years from 2008, still on site, but my employer changed to the University of Cambridge. My next move, in 2016, brought me back to CUH and the NHS, where I still am today, in clinical research.
I love working in such a varied role here at CUH, I have met many staff in my years here and still see some around, and no two days are the same in this establishment.
I came to work at CUH from Boots Chemist in the city centre as I was looking for a job without having to work weekends. I wanted my weekends back for myself, so I applied for a role in CUH which I could progress in.
During my time working in CUH being deaf has not always been easy. Some staff have not understood deafness, and at times I’ve been shouted at as it may seem I am not listening or paying attention, shouting may get my attention but is not a welcome answer. Hearing loss is very person specific, it is not just a question of turning up the sound to get by, or having hearing aids fitted. I didn't have hearing aids fitted until 2010 after much persuasion from my audiologist. It took me around three years to get used to the aids, as I was hearing things I’d never heard before (due to the level of my deafness). One of the most noticeable sounds I’d never heard was car tyres on the road, something everyone takes for granted, but as I was unaware of this sound I was actually a danger to myself when first out and about without hearing aids. Now I know why I was never allowed to ride a bicycle as a child!
A usual day for me is admin work. I am on site one day a week and three days at home due to a long term health condition, I also work compressed hours which suits me well, so I can have a day to myself a week. As I said previously, no two days are the same, the work is varied and I love that aspect. On-site I am often approached and can generally catch up face to face, but I’m glad to get back to working on my own space at home with a loud radio blaring out for company.
One of the most notable things that has changed at CUH during my time here is the introduction of staff networks.
When I started there wasn’t any staff groups that I was aware of. The most prominent thing that has changed in my line of work, is the progress made in research for cancer and other diseases.
Speaking of the introduction of staff networks, I am a member of the CUH Purple Network which is for staff with hidden or visible disabilities, physical, neuro-diverse or mental health conditions and allies to work together to promote inclusion for everyone at CUH. I joined the Purple Network in late 2018 and became their co-chair in 2019. I joined to find out about how other staff managed their disabilities in their working day and to support them.
I must admit, for many years I dismissed the fact I was ‘disabled’. Once I got used to the term, I realised there is a lot of help out there for disabled people.
I realised there was help with job interviews and and things like a railcard for reduced fares. I found people were willing to listen and help or make adjustments for me where they could. Now I'm not ashamed to use the ‘disabled tag’ so to speak, I've realised it is nothing to be ashamed of. Within the Trust so many staff (numbers released from staff surveys) feel unfairly treated because of a disability or neurodiversity and I wanted to help, particularly as I had experienced this in some roles myself. Since joining, the group has really helped me and I feel more valued at work for making a contribution to helping others in similar situations.
As part of CUH’s commitment to a workplace where all staff feel they are supported and can thrive in their job, I have used the workplace adjustments service. Through this service I have received assistance with a mobile phone which is compatible with my hearing aids, I can use this when working on site and I have to hot desk, but also when I work from home. I was also able to get some gadgets (I call them that) to help with the sound on the PC, these gadgets also connect directly to my hearing aids. Unfortunately I cannot connect to both the PC sound gadget and my phone at the same time, so I have to make a choice.
The workplace adjustments process itself was easy to use and took around a month for a result. The team behind it are very helpful and will answer any questions for you and having these gadgets has made work better for me.
Being deaf made an impact on my working world, I was previously refused a training course, as it was said that I would not be able to hear in the class. I was even denied progression in a previous role as it was said I couldn’t hear enough to progress. Thankfully we have moved on from there now, and I feel able to say, “Hey, I can do this.” I can also fortunately say that I did get the training and the progression I was after, albeit through a different manager! The pandemic did me no favours at all in communication as masks are a no go for lip readers and telephones were very distorted. I used email a lot and Zoom meetings which kept me in touch with the rest of my teams. Moving on from that we all learn by experience and the workplace adjustments team helped me move forward. Now I would like to help others in the same position and offer advice to them, the Purple Network can offer and support staff, there is even a hearing impaired champion in the group.
Outside of work I’m a mother of four, and grandmother of five. I wish to continue working and supporting others as long as I can and am able to. I love taking photos. During the Covid pandemic I collated a lot of photos I’ve taken on my early morning walks of the landscapes/skies where I live, into a personal hardback book.