Statistics on the use of language services in courts and tribunals between 2013 and 31 March 2015

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/use-of-language-interpreter-and-translation-services-in-courts-and-tribunals-statistics-quarterly-update-to-31-march-2015 
16 July 2015

Statistics on the use of language services in courts and tribunals between 2013 and 31 March 2015.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/use-of-language-interpreter-and-translation-services-in-courts-and-tribunals-statistics-quarterly-update-to-31-march-2015

Improving the quality of interpreting in primary care

https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/primary-care-comm/interpreting/

Improving the quality of interpreting in primary care

We are reviewing how patients who are Deaf or do not speak English as a first language, use interpreting services so they can access the best care and information. To achieve this, we will engage with those patients so we can articulate what a good quality service looks like.

North of England Commissioning Support (NECS) with support from University of Manchester SORD – Social Research with Deaf people) and Education Partnerships UK/Trescom (for community/spoken languages) will, with NHS England, facilitate the co-production of a set of principles with patients and clinicians which, when implemented will help to ensure that we reduce health inequalities in primary care settings.

Project initiation document

This document sets out the reason for the project.

Briefings

Our regular briefings are below, to update anyone interested in the work.

• July 2015
• March 2015
• February 2015

Emerging themes

From a wide study of reports on quality interpreting, and from the focus groups we have carried out, some of the emerging themes we have found are below:

• Seamless services – a need for a streamlined, easy to access, flexible and cost-effective ITS
• Knowing how to use – a need for more clarity on how the ITS provision works and how to book assignments
• Principles – need to address issues such as:
• Confidentiality in the client – interpreter relationship
• Understanding by the interpreter of the confidential relationship between client and patient
• Understanding the ethics and standards of the health sector
• Use of qualified interpreters rather than members of family and friends
• Professional qualifications for interpreters, sector-specific training, continuous professional training /continuous professional development
• Contracting arrangements – a need for contracts/service level agreements with providers to explicitly describe sub-contracting arrangements, payment schedules, management fees and fair rates of pay for interpreters
• Training – a need for awareness and  training for professional, practice staff and clinician on the ITS
• Training on health benefits – overall a need for improved awareness of the potential impact on the patient’s health if ITS is not used as necessary

The themes have been used to develop a draft Principles Framework for Interpreting and Translation Services.

The draft Principles Framework will be used to develop service specifications and commission models for delivering quality interpreting services. It is currently in draft and being shared with the stakeholder and steering group for the project.

Further information

For additional information, including past bulletins on the project, or enquires please contact interpreting@nhs.net.

Principles for high quality translation and interpreting services 

PQ - 8th July 2015

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2015-06-24.HL773.h 

Courts: Interpreters
8th July 2015 

Lord Kennedy of Southwark Labour

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the interpretation service at courts and tribunals. 

Lord Faulks Conservative

This Government is committed to providing a standard of interpreter that meets the needs of those requiring support in the justice system. My department continues closely to monitor the language services contract and target work and investment to further drive improvements and reduce the burden on taxpayers. An independent review of interpreter quality standards was published, together with the coalition Government’s response, on the Ministry of Justice website on 17 December 2014.

Language Service Framework Agreement

http://ccs-agreements.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/procurement-pipeline/language-services

Overview of the procurement

The Language Services agreement is being developed to replace 3 existing CCS agreements that cover face-to-face translation, written translation and transcription, and telephone interpretation.

The Language Services agreement will support a wide range of contracting authorities with diverse requirements across a broad range of languages, including non-spoken, providing face to face, translation and telephone interpreting.

We do not set policy on how public sector organisations provide access to interpreting services nor do we determine the appropriate qualification levels for interpreters in particular circumstances. The offering is broad and it is for individual customers to establish their requirements in line with their policies when creating a contract under the framework agreement.

The lotting structure of the new agreement will provide greater service capacity, offering contracting authorities maximum choice and flexibility, and increase opportunities for linguistic providers.

Opportunity to comment

The current working draft of the specification is available here. Please note, we reserve the right to change this specification prior to its publication as part of an invitation to tender.

If you have any further substantive comments on the proposed specification please email InterpretingandTranslationServices@crowncommercial.gov.uk

The deadline for responses is Friday 24 July 2015.

Framework Agreement for the provision of Language Services – Draft (July 2015)

Supplier Engagement June 2014