PQs: 25 October 2023

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2023-10-18.203198.h

NHS: Interpreters

Department of Health and Social Care written question – answered on 25 October 2023.

Steve McCabe Labour, Birmingham, Selly Oak

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the use of unregistered interpreters in the NHS on maternity outcomes.

Maria Caulfield The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

It is the responsibility of trusts to provide services that meet the needs of their local populations, paying particular attention to health inequalities. This includes ensuring access to interpreter services as set out in the three-year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services. NHS England commissions the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme to undertake reviews of adverse outcomes in maternity and neonatal services. These reviews consider whether interpreting services may have had an impact upon outcome.

 

 

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2023-10-18.203197.h

NHS: Interpreters

Department of Health and Social Care written question – answered on 25 October 2023.

Steve McCabe Labour, Birmingham, Selly Oak

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the prevalence of the use of unregistered interpreters in the NHS.

Steve McCabe Labour, Birmingham, Selly Oak

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department issues guidance to NHS trusts on the qualifications required for interpreters working in the NHS.

Steve McCabe Labour, Birmingham, Selly Oak

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to help ensure that interpreters used by the NHS are on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters.

Neil O'Brien The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care

We have not made a specific assessment as the Department does not make policy in relation to interpretation services in the National Health Service. This also includes issuing guidance to NHS trusts on the qualifications required for interpreters and their registration on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters.

The Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Team in NHS England is completing a scoping and options review of the most effective and appropriate national interventions to facilitate improvements in community language translation and interpretation services to meet the needs of communities and support equitable access, experience and outcomes for all. NHS England aims to agree recommendations in March 2024.