General Chat

Again in the paper there was a letter from a hospital worker who some time ago began to draw up a list of workers in her hospital and the languages they spoke thinking that it would of benefit to all. She was ordered to stop it.

My friend was head of children's medical services in a large London borough. She had interpreters on call for the 34 most used languages and access to others at 48 hours notice.

When she made home visits to assess a difficult health case she had to take the interpreter. Once the assessment had been made and she recommended a medical treatment, referral to a specialist, a visit schedule by Social Services all her reports had to be translated and sent to the patient's parent/guardian.

She had to ensure that the appropriate interpreter was with the family at treatment clinics and all further appointments.

The costs were HUGE.....she had one little boy who was waiting for a wheelchair and when she rang to check on delivery they told her 18 months because of lack of funds, the fund for all child services was allocated to her team. She told them, in tears, that the child would be dead within 12 months.

If the massive percentage of her budget had not been spent on interpreters and duplicated paperwork perhaps that little boy (he was 9) would have got his mobility back for the remainder of his time.

Sue

good idea foggy,but could you see our pushover goverment doing that? :-D

yes nanny we have that in wales,usually just welsh and english,but recently its been several languages...im not against other nationalites using our services if they pay their taxes(and i lot do) but why this massive bill for a health service thats on its knees.

They should do what they do in Spain,in the hospitals, if you don't speak Spanish they bring in an interpreter and charge you.

i think it would be better if the patients that didnt speak english or welsh(im in wales) came to the hos with a member of the family that at least spoke english, maybe that family member could stay in with them for a while..im sure something could be done to cut the bill down a bit.x

This has been going on for years and is not just a recent thing. What about all the extra printing costs for translations on the back of documents, etc.?

Nope...and it hacks me off when it comes out of the schools budgets too. x

read in the paper today that the N.H.S are spending millions on translators.
with the state the N.H.S is in at the moment,do you think this is money well spent?x