Sunday 29 March 2020

Police interpreter hired to talk to a Slovak ‘couldn’t speak the language’



Police interpreter hired to talk to a Slovak ‘couldn’t speak the language’
A police interpreter hired to talk to a Slovak couldn’t speak the lingo, it was claimed.
Another translator told force chiefs the blunder could have jeopardised a domestic slavery trial.
Dr Zuzana Windle told a tribunal she was sidelined after flagging up issues with other interpreters.
She was on Capita’s books and worked with the South and West Yorkshire forces.
But in March 2019 she heard an unqualified interpreter had been supplied by Language Empire to speak to the Slovak witness.
Dr Windle wrote to West Yorkshire’s Chief Constable to say the move “compromised trials”, and to raise concerns as a taxpayer.
She said she then lost work.
The Leeds tribunal dismissed her damages claim.
It said her argument that she’d acted in the public interest “is not well founded”.
Language Empire’s contract with the forces was not renewed.


Tuesday 24 March 2020

PQ: 24th March 2020



Hospitals: Languages
Department of Health and Social Care written question – answered on 24th March 2020.

Ellie Reeves Labour, Lewisham West and Penge
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure hospitalised users of (a) other languages and (b) British Sign Language have access to communication support.

Nadine Dorries The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care
National Health Service providers working with their NHS commissioners should be taking steps to ensure hospitalised users receive access to interpreters in community languages and British Sign Language (BSL).
NHS England and NHS Improvement published guidance for Interpreting and Translation principles in primary care. This guidance is available for NHS providers and commissioners to help them in their roles providing hospitalised patients with communication support, whether that is community languages or BSL.
The guidance is available at the following link:

Wednesday 18 March 2020

Coronavirus: Judge says trials could be made 'unviable' as rape case is delayed


18 March 2020

Coronavirus: Judge says trials could be made 'unviable' as rape case is delayed
A rape trial has been delayed due to a lack of Chinese interpreters as a result of coronavirus.
Jing Ming Jiang was due to stand trial yesterday but proceedings could not take place as no translators were available. […]
At Hove Crown Court, Judge Paul Tain made the decision to extend Jiang’s custody time.
He said: “There are normally innumerable translators for this language.
“The court found two translators, each of whom dropped out. We have made further efforts to contact all the local translators, but these efforts have been unsuccessful.
“I’m satisfied that the nature of the present pandemic, which could easily over the next few days make almost all trials non-viable, that it is good and sufficient cause to extend custody.”
Judge Tain adjourned the trial until April 27, but said an earlier date may be possible if bail trials are cancelled due to the virus.