Should The Nhs Be Spending £100M So As To Provide Free Translators?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/756977/NHS-spends-100-million-on-TRANSLATORS-in-128-languages

[david small]

No, bring your own translator.

[jennyjoan]

Absolutely not - the amount per hour that these translators charge is abominal.

[New Judge]

When you attend a hospital abroad (and I can confirm this is true of Greece and Spain at least) there is only one notice in English. It says (roughly) this:

"Spanish [or Greek] is the only language spoken in this hospital. If you need the services of an interpreter you must arrange this and pay for it yourself"

Some go on to provide a phone number or two of local interpreters.

So it should be in the UK. The cost of translation and interpretation services is not what the NHS (or any other taxpayer funded service) should be paying for.

[jourdain2]

No, nor should any other organisation. France doesn't - I often got taken for a very nice lunch by people who asked me to go with them to hospital, social services etc. and translate for them! Very seriously, a country's language expresses its culture and immigrants must learn the language. I exclude holidaymakers and brief visitors of course, but someone would, in practice, help them.

[douglas9401]

Absolutely not.

[TheChair]

What a vivid imagination you have NJ.
My wife has been receiving cancer therapy in Greece for two years. Nearly all the doctors and other staff speak English. and those that don't actually apologise. I have never seen a sign like the one you describe.

[whiskeryron]

https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=google+translate

Make this site available in all hospitals by providing ONE computer

[Old_Geezer]

I'd be loath to refuse to help at all, for if I'm on holiday and need to communicate with the authorities I'd expect someone to be around that should be able to help, and that the country is being unreasonably unfriendly if they aren't interested in helping someone in need. But I'm unsure of a need to hire professional translators. With the variety of folk who work in the NHS I'd have thought they had most languages covered by the existing staff anyway.

Add to that, that holiday package firms tend to have representatives that ought to be able to speak the local lingo and accompany tourists who need to communicate. And those resident will have tried to learn the local language and be able to make themselves known, or have a family member who can be. Where is all the money being spent ?

[woofgang]

so unnamed reasesrchers have estimated......oh well thats ok then

[fiction-factory]

Whilst I agree that people who come here should learn English and we perhaps make it too easy for them to get by without it, it may be that it would actually cost more than £100 million pa if we dispensed with translators. The absence of a translator would slow down some consultations- the doctor can't just send an ill foreign language person away saying 'come back when you can speak English or when you can get yourself a translator' if they are entitled to health care so the doctor has to work extra hard and longer to find out what the issues are. And if a doctor guessed or misunderstood and there was some sort of misdiagnosis or error in treatment as a result there could be medical litigation bill to pay. Until Having translators must save time and reduce such risks of malpractice or similar claims. But at the same time we need to do more to encourage/help foreigners learn and speak English

[New Judge]

"What a vivid imagination you have NJ."

Not imagination at all. Go to the A&E facility at the hospital in Lefkada Town. I did - last June - and the sign was plain to see. I'm not saying the staff speak no English (I didn't stay to find out as I was only making sure that an acquaintance made it to the hospital OK). I have seen similar signs in Spain.

"...the doctor can't just send an ill foreign language person away saying 'come back when you can speak English or when you can get yourself a translator' "

No, certainly not for A&E (though it seems in the other countries I have mentioned they may do so). But for planned outpatient appointments it should be a pre-condition that the patient provides translation services if necessary. I'm puzzled as to why it seems to be only the UK that provides services such as this free of charge.

[weecalf]

The money spent is abdominal sorry could not resist

[naomi24]

No we shouldn't - and the spending isn't restricted to the NHS either.

[webbo3]

I work for the NHS and see it every day, we rarely get a translator in but mostly we have to help the patient fill out a triage form to get their free treatment in the emergency dept I work in, all they can say is pain and point, they have an address and but can read, write and just about understand English.

But somehow they know where to go to get free treatment.


Dave.

[Baldric]

Our World Health Service must be a Worldwide Laughing Stock.

[webbo3]

It is where I work Baldric, Spain, Poland, Russia, Somalia, Eritrea, Romania, Bulgaria, Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, China, just some of the countries I see at my desk.


Dave.

[fiction-factory]

Paying for translators for those entitled to use the NHS for free is one thing, paying for translators for health tourists is another. The health tourist problem is one that seems difficult to resolve.

[Togo]

//The health tourist problem is one that seems difficult to resolve. //

Only while we let the people who mean harm to the UK hold positions of influence on policy.

[Baldric]

Webbo, Mrs B worked for the NHS for about 40 years, now retired, she went from Ward Sister into management, and just can't believe the way it's going.

[webbo3]

Baldric, its amazing how they cant speak English but know how to get free treatment, but to be honest the poles and Spanish speak very good English and so do the few that work in the hospital, but its mostly the Romanians, and the africans that cant speak English.


Dave.