NHS spends £130k a day on translations for non-English speaking patients.

Mt61

escaped

Does anyone remember these little phrase books used for foreign visits?
With stuff like:
I've chopped my finger off.
I've got raging diarrhoea.

Absolutely, plus we now have translation apps on our phones.

Actually, it's so different abroad now because everyone wants to practise their English. Even here in France, where they used to look down on tourists speaking English, (and pretended not to understand), they now fall over themselves to practise!

escaped

Does anyone remember these little phrase books used for foreign visits?
With stuff like:
I've chopped my finger off.
I've got raging diarrhoea.

Absolutely, plus we now have translation apps on our phones.

You also used to need to pass a "Use of English" exam to teach part time as a postgraduate student in universities in America, Allira.

I don't know if you needed it for full time positions- I guess so.

I know someone who, in the 1970s had won a prestigious award to study over there and this was what he had to do to work a few hours.

He was invited into this teaching post by the school -
His speciality, and award, was after his English degree over here.

Iam64

Happyretired123, I so appreciated your final comment about there always being something to be outraged about
I’ve never known a time in my 76 years when so many were so outraged .

I'm glad you said that because I was about to!

NotSpaghetti

Mt61 and Hopikins
They do have to pass English tests.
I know someone who is currently studying and unable to apply for Nursing jobs till she has it.

Re phone appointments - my mother-in-law cannot decipher even sone British accents on the phone.
I have specifically asked the surgery to provide an "easily understood" person with clear articulation/ annunciation to do all her phone appointments because she would struggle to hear/understand.
They actually switched over her last appointment to someone else.
👍
Worth asking.

*Mt61 and Hopikins*
They do have to pass English tests.
I know someone who is currently studying and unable to apply for Nursing jobs till she has it.

Yes, even if their first language is English and they are from a country where English is the official language of that country, nor so long ago they had to take an English exam first, but that may no longer be the case.

SporeRB

Hopikins

I object most strongly with the Uk paying for translators for patients using the NHS. However the one thing I object to most is me( English born and bred) needing a translator for some of the doctors and nurses in our hospitals, I know its not just me, I have many elderly friends who struggle dreadfully in trying to understand what many foreign born doctors and nurses are saying too them. Being able to speak English clearly should be mandatory for all professionals in the NHS

When my elderly husband was admitted into our local hospital, I was his translator. He really struggled understanding what the foreign care assistants, nurses and doctors were saying to him, made worse because he is hard of hearing.

Thankfully, the community district nurses and physio therapists who came to our house are all English.

When I was at the hospital visiting my DH, I was talking to a local student nurse. She told me in her university classes of 150 students, 115 roughly two thirds of them are international students.

She told me that her friends who graduated this year could not get a job because of cuts in NHS. They are either working at Pets at Home or joining the NHS bank working as care assistant to try to get into nursing that way.

To me, it is scandalous that NHS spent 75 million on translators/ interpreters yet newly graduated local students could not even get a job.

The Graduate Guarantee Scheme was authorised last month - it guarantees nursing graduates a job and also allows trusts to employ graduates on projected staffing levels.
I hope it helps. We don't seem to gear about the good stuff the government is trying to do
NHS England » Graduate guarantee for newly qualified nurses and midwives share.google/BIYg2wUKtTBRxfVp9

Happyretired123, I so appreciated your final comment about there always being something to be outraged about
I’ve never known a time in my 76 years when so many were so outraged .

I’ve no plans to migrate to Spain S G

Mt61 and Hopikins
They do have to pass English tests.
I know someone who is currently studying and unable to apply for Nursing jobs till she has it.

Re phone appointments - my mother-in-law cannot decipher even sone British accents on the phone.
I have specifically asked the surgery to provide an "easily understood" person with clear articulation/ annunciation to do all her phone appointments because she would struggle to hear/understand.
They actually switched over her last appointment to someone else.
👍
Worth asking.

It is not ideal to use a relative or friend to translate if you are talking about delicate subjects such as suicidal ideas, consistency of motions, erectile dysfunction, or piles. Without translators wrong diagnoses will be made and inappropriate treatments may be given.

Hopikins

I object most strongly with the Uk paying for translators for patients using the NHS. However the one thing I object to most is me( English born and bred) needing a translator for some of the doctors and nurses in our hospitals, I know its not just me, I have many elderly friends who struggle dreadfully in trying to understand what many foreign born doctors and nurses are saying too them. Being able to speak English clearly should be mandatory for all professionals in the NHS

When my elderly husband was admitted into our local hospital, I was his translator. He really struggled understanding what the foreign care assistants, nurses and doctors were saying to him, made worse because he is hard of hearing.

Thankfully, the community district nurses and physio therapists who came to our house are all English.

When I was at the hospital visiting my DH, I was talking to a local student nurse. She told me in her university classes of 150 students, 115 roughly two thirds of them are international students.

She told me that her friends who graduated this year could not get a job because of cuts in NHS. They are either working at Pets at Home or joining the NHS bank working as care assistant to try to get into nursing that way.

To me, it is scandalous that NHS spent 75 million on translators/ interpreters yet newly graduated local students could not even get a job.

Does anyone remember these little phrase books used for foreign visits?
With stuff like:
I've chopped my finger off.
I've got raging diarrhoea.

I know NHS has to spend a fortune in producing information leaflets in a wide variety of languages too.

Mt61

Erm 🤔 learn some English before thinking of coming to this country to live.

Erm Learn some Spanish before pitching up in Spain.

Oh no, don't bother, Just shout.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

I knew it was a lot of money but I was staggered to see the true cost. 😮

I’ve been to see the doctor in Spain . No translation services provided and I didn’t expect them either. Google translate was used and it worked fine.

Why do WE provide this service free of charge? I think it’s scandalous and it’s money that could be funnelled elsewhere.

What do you think?

Not so. My husband was taken ill in Croatia and every effort was made to find an English speaking Dr to take his medical history.
Given the size of the NHS budget that’s not a large amount.
But then there is always something to be outraged about isn’t there!

Hopikins

I object most strongly with the Uk paying for translators for patients using the NHS. However the one thing I object to most is me( English born and bred) needing a translator for some of the doctors and nurses in our hospitals, I know its not just me, I have many elderly friends who struggle dreadfully in trying to understand what many foreign born doctors and nurses are saying too them. Being able to speak English clearly should be mandatory for all professionals in the NHS

Absolutely👍🏻 I have a telephone appointment this week- dreading it as have to keep asking the GP to repeat himself. Nightmare

I object most strongly with the Uk paying for translators for patients using the NHS. However the one thing I object to most is me( English born and bred) needing a translator for some of the doctors and nurses in our hospitals, I know its not just me, I have many elderly friends who struggle dreadfully in trying to understand what many foreign born doctors and nurses are saying too them. Being able to speak English clearly should be mandatory for all professionals in the NHS

We receive communications, usually to do with health and local government. when the list of foreign language translations available covers two and a half sheets of A4 paper.
I think it is thirty-two.

I read that some hospitals are better than others at billing!
Obviously it's complicated but even getting a quote for treatment from the NHS isn't always easy.

I know as my son tried to get a ballpark figure for an operation here.

valdavi

Jennifer eccles - we do charge them. Foreign patients pay for their NHS treatment. (We don't always succeed in getting the bill paid as they are charged at point of discharge)

So why not alter that to payment at the start of treatment, like other countries

Most NHS trusts now won’t use family or friends as interpreters and use staff . They have a list of which staff speak which language. The reasons are partly because doctors need consent and need to know that the patient and interpreter understand exactly what treatment is needed , plus full medical history.
Another reason is a safeguarding issue regarding victims of abuse and trafficking .
A friend is a midwife and sees a number of young women who’ve been trafficked and only come to the hospital when in labour .

Oops just repeated myself.
Apologies

Maybe it’s something to do with English being most countries second language?

Just looked this up. The total spending does include services for deaf and blind individuals, with a significant portion of the budget going to BSL - about 13% (2019/2020 figures) is specifically allocated to BSL.
Even the TaxPayers' Alliance state this - so I feel GB News who is running this (and others) are a bit clickbaity.

Translation services of course include translation into braile, and Maketon (as assumed earlier!)

Even the TaxPayers' Alliance state this so GB News headlines, the Telegraph, et al are sadly being a bit clickbaity.

I looked ip pay rates for specialist medical translation paid for through the NHS (DPSI Health) as these specialist translators are trained over years to degree level.
They are apparently £20- 40 an hour if bought in via an agency.

Some trusts (don't know how many) have people "in house".

Not only the NHS. Obviously the money would be a big boost to the NHS budget but also the Police, Local Government use transaltors and various other agencies that we are paying for. However we are a nation who openly accept people from other countries into our country to stay here and make a life for themselves so I say we don't really have a choice.