MY grown-up daughter is deaf and uses British Sign Language.

I can go with her to appointments and act as a translator but I'm worried about her being ill as I can't always be there. Do you have any advice?

RECENT figures from the British Deaf Association suggest that on any day up to 250,000 people use some BSL.

NHS 24 launched its British Sign Language Service earlier this year, which allows people who are deaf to contact NHS 24 using a face-to-face link via video or webcam technology.

Through a remote agency, InterpreterNow, the BSL user uses an online video software application to connect with a BSL interpreter, who will then contact NHS 24, opening up a three-way call.

Your daughter should register now by going to www.nhs24.com and clicking on "Other Languages" and then "BSL", just in case she needs out-of-hours medical attention. Once registered, there is no limit to how many times she can use the service.