Wednesday, 4 December 2024

PQ: 4 December 2024

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2024-11-27.16690.h 

NHS: Interpreters and Translation Services

Department of Health and Social Care written question – answered at on 4 December 2024.

Rupert Lowe Reform UK, Great Yarmouth

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing (a) family and (b) friends to provide (i) translation and (ii) interpretation during NHS appointments.

Karin Smyth Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The General Medical Council’s guidance states that all possible efforts must be made to ensure effective communication with patients. This includes arrangements to meet patients’ communication needs in languages other than English.

Where language is a problem in discussing health matters, NHS England and NHS Scotland’s guidance states that a professional interpreter should always be offered, rather than using family or friends to interpret. Further information on NHS England and NHS Scotland’s guidance is available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/guidance-for-commissioners-interpreting-and-translation-services-in-primary-care/

https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/interpreting-communication-support-and-translation-national-policy/

Working with professional interpreters will:

- ensure the accuracy and impartiality of interpreting;

- minimise legal risk of misinterpretation of important clinical information, for example informed consent to undergo clinical treatments and procedures;

- minimise safeguarding risk, for example for victims of human trafficking, where the trafficker may introduce themselves as a family member or friend and speak on behalf of the patient;

- allow family members and friends to attend appointments and support the patient, emotionally and with decision-making, without the added pressure of needing to interpret; and

- foster trust with the patient.

It is also inappropriate to use children as interpreters. An interpreter should also be present in all situations where there are concerns about child safety or gender-based violence, and language translation is required.

 

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2024-11-27.16683.h

NHS: Translation Services

Department of Health and Social Care written question – answered at on 4 December 2024.

Rupert Lowe Reform UK, Great Yarmouth

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 15631 on NHS: Translation Services , what the reason was for the change in the number of e-RS letters sent out in (a) 2019/20 and (b) 2020/21.

Karin Smyth Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The main reason for the change in the number of e-Referral Service (e-RS) letters sent out in 2019/20 and 2020/21 was the COVID-19 pandemic, which reduced the number of referrals being created in the National Health Service e-RS. In addition, in early 2020, NHS England halved the number of e-RS letters sent to patients where their referral was considered Routine, as it had not been classified as either Urgent or for Suspected Cancer.

 

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2024-11-28.16771.h

NHS: Interpreters

Department of Health and Social Care written question – answered at on 4 December 2024.

Rupert Lowe Reform UK, Great Yarmouth

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of training to raise awareness of the role of interpreting within the NHS.

Karin Smyth Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The provision of interpretation services is the responsibility of the service provider. There is no national programme for training to raise awareness of interpreting within the National Health Service.

 

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2024-11-26.16295.h

Government Departments: thebigword

Cabinet Office written question – answered at on 4 December 2024.

Rupert Lowe Reform UK, Great Yarmouth

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much was paid to thebigword by all Departments in each of the last ten years.

Georgia Gould The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office

All Government Departments are responsible for determining their own requirements for language services and ensuring these deliver good value for money for the taxpayer.

Details on how much is paid to individual suppliers, including thebigword, is not held centrally by the Cabinet Office.

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