Interpreting and translation
Interpreters provide a service for patients, people using care and support services, carers, social workers and clinicians to help them understand each other when they do not speak the same language. Not being able to communicate well with health professionals or social care services can impact on health outcomes, increase the frequency of missed appointments and reduce the effectiveness of consultations and patient/residents experience.
What is interpreting and translating?
Interpreting and translating are not the same thing. Interpreting is spoken, translation is written. Some language professionals do both. Interpreters charge by the hour, translators charge by the word.
There are a range of organisations that provide interpreting and translation services in Newcastle. This section gives information on some of these.
Bilingual Services and Interpreted Advice
If your first language isn’t English, you may sometimes need an interpreter or translator to help you understand what is being discussed. This is particularly important if you are having a personal or carer’s needs assessment or receiving health or medical information and advice. Services offer:
- face-to-face Interpreters
- document translation of any kind
- telephone and voice Interpreting
- British Sign Language
There are several ways in which you can access interpretation services depending on when and where you need them.
Using translation and interpreting services
Many services provide the option to request an interpreter or video call if needed. Speak to the service directly to see what is available to you.
NHS 111 and 999 emergency services when you call, say the language that you need. They can arrange an interpreter to help with your call. BSL interpreters are available to help with can be arranged using video calls for:
Online translation is available for NHS 111 information.
Doctors and GPs: speak to your GP, nurse practitioner, other health service and local organisations to ask for an interpreter.
SignLive provide interpreter services for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) that regulate health and social care
Relay UK is the emergency text message service for deaf, hard of hearing and speech-impaired people in the UK to call for help from the police, ambulance, fire rescue, or coastguard. The emergency services can reply to you. You need to download the app and register your mobile phone number to use this service.
Finding your own interpreter or translator service
Interpreting is not a protected profession. This means that agencies can hire people to work as interpreters who are not trained to a set standard. Their language level may not have been checked. If you are hiring an interpreter, request that they are appropriately qualified. Look for interpreters who have level 6 qualifications. For example DPSI Health, DPSI law or DPI policing.
If you want to look for an interpreter yourself instead of going through an agency, you can search the National Register for Public Service Interpreters. You can search by region and by language. All the interpreters on the register are experienced and qualified to level 6. To search the register you need to create an account but it is free to do so.
There will be an online Register of Public Service Translators soon, where you can find translators.
More advice on how to work with interpreters is available on the English Unlocked website.
The North East British Sign Language website has a list of the professional sign language interpreters working in the North East.
SignHealth is a Deaf-led charity with expertise in issues related to access and health.
Becoming Visible is a Deaf-led charity with interpreting services, training packages and media and campaigning work.
Translated health information
Patients should be able to request a translation of their summary care record into their preferred language and format (including easy read, Braille and other accessible formats) at no cost to themselves over and above the standard cost of accessing their patient record. See the Accessible Information Standard (SCCI1605) for further information.
The NHS 111 provides online language translation.
The CNTW Patient Information Centre offers a range of health related information in many languages including:
- medical conditions
- procedures and treatments
- details about self help and support groups
- information about complaints procedures
- copies of leaflets in many languages
NHS online has health information in a range of languages other than English.
Doctors of the World provide translated information about vaccines and other health care needs in 20 translated languages.
Connected Voice Haref work to identify areas where it is difficult to access health information. They have created a leaflet to help with requesting interpreting services.
The leaflet contains information about:
- How to request an interpreter at different NHS services
- Who to contact if you need more help
- How to complain if a health service doesn’t give you an interpreter
You can view the Spoken Language Interpreters in Health Services leaflet here
Information NOW uses Recite ME so that you can translate an article, information, organisation or event into your language of choice. This includes translating into an audio MP3 file.
Alternatively, you can ask a friend or relative to make the call on your behalf. Wait until an interpreter is on the line before you explain why you are calling.
Disabled people who are d/Deaf, blind or deafblind
The Equality Act 2010 places a legal duty on all service providers to take steps or make “reasonable adjustments” in order to avoid putting a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage when compared to a person who is not disabled.
How to translate and read aloud InformationNOW
You can change InformationNOW into over 100 different languages. Click the white button to open the Recite Me software. Read more about tailoring InformationNOW to your needs.
Accessible Information Standard
The Accessible Information Standard is a UK law to make sure that people who have a disability, impairment or sensory loss are given information they can easily read or understand. Health and social care services must find out your information and communication needs make sure you get support the way you need it in an accessible format.
For example you may ask for texts instead of phone calls for appointments or a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter at medical appointments for communication.
Read more about Accessible information
Last updated: September 20, 2024