“Like Facetime with a linguist”: InterpretersLive! service a game changer for British Sign Language users

Tameside & Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust is expanding access to spoken languages and British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters with new on-demand video translation services. Staff say this could be a game changer for patients, specifically those who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing.

This will prevent appointments running over or even being cancelled if face-to-face interpreters are unavailable, improving access to healthcare for the d/Deaf community while reducing the cost to the NHS from cancelled or delayed appointments.

The initiative uses new on-demand video services for translation and interpretation through two applications: InterpretersLive! is available to provide BSL, while Client Suite provides access to over 500 spoken languages.

Interpreters appear remotely via electronic tablets, which are mounted on wheels. This allows staff to bring them directly to patients in clinics, examination rooms, or to the bedside for procedures. Laptops, desktop computers or Trust-approved and issued mobile devices can also access these services in areas that do not currently have the devices on wheels.

In the past, obtaining sign language interpretation in UK hospitals has been difficult, especially when required during emergencies or unplanned visits. There are only 1,500 qualified BSL linguists across the country and their diaries are often fully booked months in advance. The InterpretersLive! service instead provides speedy video access to a pool of in-house BSL interpreters available 12 hours a day.

“It’s like Facetime with a linguist,” explains Nicole Webb, Quality and Patient Experience Facilitator at Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust.

“With InterpretersLive! we can connect to a linguist at any time. This has massively improved access for patients who use BSL as a first language to communicate their needs and is a huge step forward for our d/Deaf and hearing-impaired community,” she said.

This app is not only for use whilst in the hospital, patients can also access the service from their own devices to contact the Trust over the phone using a relay system.  A linguist will interpret between service users and staff to support with appointment scheduling or offering advice from specialist areas.

Tameside and Glossop IC NHS FT’s Patient Experience Team are now collating feedback from staff and patients who have used the updated interpreting services. So far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive, with staff feeling that access to both spoken languages and BSL has seen a real improvement.

One patient who left anonymous feedback on the service pilot scheme said that they were “so happy” that the service was now available.

“I’ve never been able to have this before or get access to a BSL interpreter, and this allows us to communicate properly,” they continued.

Mounted tablet devices equipped with the app were first piloted in the emergency department, radiology, maternity, outpatients, women’s health, day surgery and endoscopy departments. Following the pilot scheme’s success, the Trust is now working on making access to InterpretersLive! app possible for all services, including community appointments.

All areas of the Trust still have access to the usual translation services, such as pre-booked interpreters for spoken languages and BSL, along with phone services for spoken languages.

In addition, the Trust offers an 8-week, face-to-face BSL courses aimed at patient-facing staff, to help meet the communication needs of patients with hearing loss. Around 40 staff are now trained in BSL and these staff are named in a database so that other members of staff can contact them for assistance when needed.

For any further information or feedback regarding the interpreting services please contact QualityandPatientExperience@tgh.nhs.uk.

The Patient Experience team would be very grateful for anyone who would like to share their lived experiences of accessing interpreting services at the Trust.

For more information and to contact the Trust via an interpreter, visit the interpretation and translation webpage.