The cost of interpreters

[hauxwell]

At the Hallamshire Hospital I was stood behind a oriental women who wanted to change her appointment. She did not seem very pleased that she could not get the time and date she wanted. The receptionist tried to reason with her and explained that there was not a clinic on the date she wanted. The women understood perfectly well what the receptionist was saying. On her way out she asked the receptionist if she could arrange for a Cantonese interpreter. I was not convinced that she needed one. I was told that these interpreters cost the national health millions of pounds a year and that the Hallamshire Hospital would have to pay about £500 for a interpreter for this woman. Does anyone know the cost of these interpreters and should the money be paid for by the NHS? I have also been told by a friend who works as a receptionist at a doctor's practice that interpreters are paid for out of their budget and very often the patient does not turn up but the interpreters have to be paid for.

[byeo]

At the Hallamshire Hospital I was stood behind a oriental women who wanted to change her appointment. She did not seem very pleased that she could not get the time and date she wanted. The receptionist tried to reason with her and explained that there was not a clinic on the date she wanted. The women understood perfectly well what the receptionist was saying. On her way out she asked the receptionist if she could arrange for a Cantonese interpreter. I was not convinced that she needed one. I was told that these interpreters cost the national health millions of pounds a year and that the Hallamshire Hospital would have to pay about £500 for a interpreter for this woman. Does anyone know the cost of these interpreters and should the money be paid for by the NHS? I have also been told by a friend who works as a receptionist at a doctor's practice that interpreters are paid for out of their budget and very often the patient does not turn up but the interpreters have to be paid for.

 

I'm not sure, submit a FOI request to the NHS.

[megalithic]

We shouldn't provide interpreters. If they can't speak the language or have a family member interpret for them then tough.

[Moosey]

About £100 per hour normally.

 

Legal aid used to pay about that for them when people in custody needed them. It increased quite rapidly when they were paid privately.

[AndrewC]

We've had a very long thread on this subject 4-5 months ago I think it was.

[byeo]

We shouldn't provide interpreters. If they can't speak the language or have a family member interpret for them then tough.

 

If only...

[iansheff]

If a patient needs an interpreter then they should ask a relative or friend who can speak both languages to help. The NHS should not have to fund the service, except in an emergency situation.

[cgksheff]

A lot of NHS & other government body interpreter needs are serviced by Language Line over the phone at £2.50 per minute.

[dongle]

No idea on what south yorkshire policy is, but one nhs authority recommends a professional interpreter atends the appointment with you rather than an english speaking family member

http://www.bcf.nhs.uk/for_patients/interpreting-services/

[ECCOnoob]

We shouldn't provide interpreters. If they can't speak the language or have a family member interpret for them then tough.

 

With that attitude I assume then that when you go abroad on holiday you expected to be treated the same.

 

Dont speak Spanish or French or whatever? Oh that's just tough.....

I dont think you would accept that would you.

 

I have had the misfortune of becoming ill whilst abroad and spent nearly a week in hospital. I was in enough of a state as it was. How the hell do you think I would have felt if I had to go through a week of treatment and observations on my very limited french knowledge.

 

I always love it when people kick off about interpreters and yet we as a nation have the most appauling lack of foreign language skills and have the neve to automatically expect English language to be used when we go abroad.

 

Talk about hypocracy.