Gobsmacked

Like TinSoldier I spent many years giving free English lessons to immigrants. I am still in touch with many of them. The demographic was mostly young people and they were deeply grateful to be given the opportunity to learn English. Years ago there were FE colleges where people could go for language lessons at reasonable rates, but I don’t know of any that still exist in my area.

In at least one of the Nordic countries you must learn the language to live there. But obviously you need access to language teaching.

Ours has virtually gone - and what we have left is mainly operating via charities using volunteers (such as TinSoldier).
Thank you TinSoldier

...However, words such as "oxygen", "plasma", "aneurysm" and "stroke" aren't in our normal vocabulary in a foreign tongue. It is going to be helpful to have a translator for these!

... I suppose some medical words may be guessable if we were taught Latin at school??

The quality of interpreters does vary considerably. We obviously use interpreters for meetings etc (childrens services) we dont have interpreters for the day to day info exchange that happens at the nursery/school door. I feel that more funding into English speaking classes would be more beneficial or those children will have less chances than mine.

The NHS spent an estimated £174m on translation services for the years 2019-2022. Whilst I agree that new immigrants should receive a translation service when accessing the NHS, I do not agree that they should be provided for tourists, or for those who have lived in the UK for many years. Tourists should pay for their own translator - if they can afford to visit here, then they can afford a translator. Those who have lived here for years should have made the effort to sufficiently learn our language. I have worked in a GP practice, and translators are regularly provided, at a cost to the NHS, for people who have lived here for well over 10 years.

Casdon

The NHS uses qualified medical translators, they are employed to support complex conversations between patients and their doctors. I think most of us would struggle to impart clinical information in a different language, even if we can speak it ourselves.

In my Trust we use mainly phone interpretors ....sometimes face to face....none of them have any particular medical background...they just translate...some are better than others ...some are useless.....the trust pay for an hour service...even if its only 10 mins ....its not a cheap service butequality / diversity seems high on the nhs agenda

Surely this is a good news story. It shows how totally this Ukrainian lady has integrated into our culture and understood that in this country, no matter how much you are given, you should always demand more.

I wonder what would happen if situations were reversed? How many of us older women, were we to be displaced by war to Ukraine, would have picked up enough Ukranian in a short space of time to be able to cope in hospital.

I volunteer teaching English to refugees in an informal setting. Our learners are mostly from Afghanistan, Syria and Ukraine. Among the older women, there is sometimes resistance to wanting to learn very much English other than the basics to get by. They come along, often with their daughters who are more receptive to learning a new language. The older women say they want to go home as soon as possible. Their longing for their homeland is palpable. They worry that becoming too involved with English culture will make it harder for them to return, especially as younger members of their family become more integrated.

Many writers have described how difficult it is to lose one’s first language. Here are some examples:

longreads.com/2022/02/24/disappearing-language-a-reading-list-on-losing-your-native-tongue/

I could not agree more with what you write, Siope. Some people on these boards need to learn some compassion and walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.

crazyH

I think the NHS should only be available to UK citizens. I can only presume that this Ukranian lady fell ill (probably heart attack) when she was visiting her daughter and so, will automatically be entitled to treatment. It’s not right to send a sick back to the Ukraine.

Dear foreign doctor/nurse/midwife/radiographer/physitherapist/other clinical professional

I know you’re working for the NHS, saving lives, easing pain, delivering our babies, keeping our old people safe; I know you’re paying a healthcare levy every year; I know you can’t become a UK citizen for five years, but you’re paying a fortune regularly to have your visa updated; I know you’re paying tax and national insurance. Nonetheless, if you get ill, you should either pay privately or sod off. Yours faithfully, your grateful patients.

More and more often, I wonder why my husband ever gave up a high paying medical career in the US to come to this country and work for much less, in worse conditions, delivering care to people who despise him.

And my point doesn’t just apply to those who work in the US. Migrants pay to live here (including extra for accessing the NHS), they all contribute to society in some way, and they deserve to be treated with dignity. And banning asylum seekers, who are here because of dire circumstances, from healthcare is a despicable idea.

Ooops Poppyred Just been back and read your post and can see it was a tv programme, apologies!

I still think this is a storm in a teacup and this poor woman doesn’t deserve this criticism!

Poppyred

Fgs, firstly which rag did you read this in?
Secondly, if this is all you’re worried about ……

I don't know why you are gobsmacked poppyred

The truth, as outlined in a recent report , which is probably why it was on TV as an article - seems to be saying that people are being treated inappropriately and being misdiagnosed. There are examples.

The report by the Equality and Social Justice Committee said mistakes and misdiagnoses often occurred due to the "wholly inappropriate use of family members as interpreters in medical settings rather than trained professionals"

www.itv.com/news/wales/2024-03-15/i-had-17-calls-in-one-hour-it-was-scary-the-patients-without-a-voice

By the way, the Ukrainian family were grateful and positive about the NHS in spite of the problems (for example needing an oxygen mask and getting a wash instead). I think it is important to say so...

Casdon

The NHS uses qualified medical translators, they are employed to support complex conversations between patients and their doctors. I think most of us would struggle to impart clinical information in a different language, even if we can speak it ourselves.

So true!
Thanks for saying what I was going to!

I’m just pleased that my country was able to offer sanctuary to so many Ukrainians, including this woman and her daughter, and I’m pleased she received the care she needed via our NHS.

We have to translate for some of the docs here . I’m not kidding, I have experienced this !

If the NHS hadn't been run into the ground it probably wouldn't have been a problem. Our local hospital has quite a few Ukrainian members of staff and, if hospitals weren't so short staffed, someone could probably have been found to translate for her.

Translation is part of public services provision, here is the detail. As the post was about Wales, this is the Welsh one, but the same services are available throughout the UK,
www.wits.wales/

Of course the woman should have received free treatment and I have great sympathy with her, it must have been a very frightening experience. I don't think it's reasonable that the NHS should provide translators though if that's what's being suggested. I wouldn't expect a translator if I was taken ill in a foreign country.

The NHS uses qualified medical translators, they are employed to support complex conversations between patients and their doctors. I think most of us would struggle to impart clinical information in a different language, even if we can speak it ourselves.

The bottom line is just resent her being treated - nothing else…

It is what it is. Before we all felt sorry ,with reason, for the plight of Ukrainian people we were suspicious of many of them and thought that they hacked into computer systems worldwide with a big criminal network. Now it’s Albanians. Things and perceptions change all the time. It totally doesn’t surprise me, they have to fight for stuff at home and the entitlement is part of it. Just a different way of dealing with people.

Her daughter was there with her to translate….

It’s not the same as Spain though where lots of staff speak English, and lots of Brits speak Spanish. I can only speak for myself, but if I was admitted to hospital in say Japan or Russia, I’d be a lot more scared than I would in Spain or somewhere else in Europe.

No, Poppyred, you specifically mentioned the fact that she most probably received her treatment for free, re-iterating what guiled you by asking ‘what would it cost in her country’.

Many Ukranian hospitals have been bombed and some struggling to function, let alone cope with the many Ukranian men, many untrained soldiers, who have been maimed in fighting a war against against superpower next door.

Try all that in Spain where they insist you bring your translator with you (paid or otherwise) and all this before Brexit…

Poppyred

You are all missing the point. If my country was at war and another country took me in, I would be very grateful - not complaining that the doctor operating to save my life did not speak my language !!!

No, you wouldn’t. Like anybody else, you’d be scared, you wouldn’t understand what was happening to you, and you’d want somebody who understood what the doctors were saying to tell you in your own language. That’s how it works for us all.