Translations
interpreting qualifications are the most robust and reliable measure of interpreter quality and all interpreters working in the health sector need to be qualified to a minimum level where it is recognised the interpreter is safe to practice and will not potentially cause untold harm through miss-interpreting. Those newly qualified without experience ought to be mentored by experienced public service interpreters to embed the code of conduct and aid in navigating the issues, problems and challenges of public service interpreting in the NHS. As NRPSI states, 400 hours of experience ought to be required for those working in organisations where the most serious potential consequences might occur, such as the NHS where life and death decisions are a daily occurrence. NHS practitioners should not accept pseudo-interpreters delivered by procurement management whose only concern is controlling costs. But when this advice is not followed and untrained, unqualified ersatz-interpreting is delivered by bilinguals then it is no surprise why registered and regulated interpreters do not wish to work for the NHS for low engagement fees. As an NHS senior manager, procurement manager or a medical practitioner, do not allow unqualified and inexperienced interpreters not Effective interpreting delivered by professionals who are only hinder but possibly harm you, your reputation and the quality of your work with patients. registered and regulated provides better outcomes for patients. Do not accept: bilinguals with no language or Mike Orlov of NRPSI explains why interpreting qualifications and no public service interpreting (PSI) experience; bilinguals with no language or interpreting qualifications but Individuals who do not speak or understand When many newly qualified interpreters who with PSI experience; linguists with language English should not be hindered from accessing have no or little experience find themselves in A level (or lower grade) but no interpreting the NHS and need to be provided with effective difficult circumstances in a consulting room, qualifications; linguists with language A interpreting. Language barriers contribute we might ask what we should do to attract level (or lower grade) and with interpreting to health inequalities and can exacerbate qualified and experienced people back to qualifications; linguists with language degree specific ailments due to poor communication interpreting in the NHS. Even an experienced level (or above) but no interpreting qualifications; between patient and medical practitioner. interpreter, but lacking qualifications, does linguists with language degree level (or above) And the NHS also needs to be protected to not guarantee quality or risk-free situations. with interpreting qualifications; interpreters ensure less crippling and costly misdiagnoses As outlined by advice from NHS England with level 3 or 4 community level interpreting when poor interpreting takes place due (Guidance for Commissioners: Interpreting and qualifications without PSI experience; or to the use of below-par, under-trained, illTranslation Services in Primary Care), face to interpreters with level 3 or 4 community level equipped or inexperienced bilinguals and face interpreters should be registered with the interpreting qualifications with PSI experience. linguists. It is a false economy to deploy National Register of Public Service Interpreters Senior NHS management, procurement free or cheap pseudo-interpreting. (NRPSI). The same document states very clearly management and practitioners in the NHS should Given interpreters provide a key service that all interpreters must be registered with demand as a minimum: interpreters with 400 for patients, carers and clinicians, helping an appropriate regulator, be suitably qualified hours or more PSI experience and passed some them understand each other when they do and should have the skills and training to work of the required level 6 modules; interpreters with not speak the same language, the NHS has in health care settings and have undergone level 6 DPI or DPSI Law or DPSI Health or DPSI to be committed to providing high quality, appropriate checks and clearance in line with Local Gov or equivalent degree level but with equitable, effective interpreting so healthcare Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) guidelines; less than 400 hours experience but are services are responsive to all patients’ needs. the only appropriate independent at least trained to do the job; and When in a hospital, a procurement manager and not-for-profit register and interpreters with level 6 DPI or tells a trained, qualified, accredited, registered regulator in the UK is NRPSI. DPSI Law or DPSI Health or and regulated interpreter not to bother turning Making DPSI Local Gov or equivalent up for their poorly remunerated engagement Relevant use of b degree level with more we should explore why the engagement was qualifications i l i n or lingu guals than 400 hours experience cancelled. If it was cancelled because a foreign Appropriately i s but not ascribing language speaking cleaner (a bilingual deemed qualified interpreters no inte ts with rpreting to the Interpreter fit to practice but with no qualifications or should be sourced q ualifica Code of Conduct. experience) had arrived who could carry out and provided for use t ion experie Ideally you ought ‘interpreting’ for free, we would then have by the NHS where life nce thr s or to be engaging those an indication as to why so many interpreters and death decisions the pub eatens interpreters who are are leaving the profession and why the NHS are often made given lic the NH and registered, regulated, have is suffering with poor interpreting services. feedback from patients S the requisite clearances What chance is there of a mother being honest to doctors, nurses and and have signed up to the about her ailments if her ‘interpreter’ is her allied health practitioners. Code of Conduct of the National 14-year-old son or daughter? When bilinguals Relevant qualifications Register: Registered and Regulated with no training, qualifications or experience are confer status as a recognised, Public Service Interpreters (RPSIs) who have deployed, much to the annoyance of medical registered and regulated professional level 6 qualifications, all the required E professionals, then risk is built into the system. practitioner; acceptable public service
NHS and interpreting services
Issue 21.5 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE
33