East Lancashire NHS get £225k bill for translation services (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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East Lancashire NHS get £225k bill for translation services
2:00pm Thursday 9th February 2012 in News
NHS organisations in East Lancashire have spent at least £225,000 on translators and interpreters over the past three years.
A health think tank has revealed the NHS in England spends £59,000 a day on translating documents and providing interpreters for patients.
A Freedom of Information request by Health 2020 showed the total topped £23m last year.
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust said its spend on these services had increased from £41,433 in 2008/2009 to £45,189 in 2009/10, before reaching £50,235 last year.
In contrast NHS East Lancashire, the primary care trust (PCT) that covers Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale, halved its spend from £45,189 to £24,476 last year.
It said this was probably because community-based services transferred to the hospital trust and Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust last summer.
NHS Blackburn with Darwen Care Trust Plus, which has also handed over such services to Lancashire Care, said it was unable to provide any figures.
The amount paid to translators was not available either.
The Health 2020 report collected data from 247 NHS trusts.
It said most translated from English into between five and 25 different languages.
It described the amount spent as ‘truly staggering’ and suggested trusts use free internet translation software.
An NHS East Lancs spokesman said it funded around 15-20 patients on average per month to receive ‘language support’.
She said equal access to care was a legal duty for the NHS and a right for patients, adding: "The primary care trust is determined to promote equality of access for all services that it commissions.
"Language support services are offered to the public should they require translation support or sign language provision when using local services, such as their GP, dentist, pharmacy, and optician.
“The Equality and Human Rights Commission, the Care Quality Commission and the Department of Health will not accept financial restraints as an excuse for not providing equal access.”
East Lancashire Hospitals said its costs had risen with inflation and clinical need.
Lynn Wissett, the trust’s deputy chief executive, said: “We treat patients from a range of diverse cultural backgrounds and well use interpreters and translation services based on clinical need and to ensure quality and safety.”
Comments(17)
Between_the_lions
says...
2:25pm Thu 9 Feb 12
retsofad
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2:29pm Thu 9 Feb 12
living the end times in BB1
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2:42pm Thu 9 Feb 12
It said most translated from English into between five and 25 different languages.
It described the amount spent as ‘truly staggering’ and suggested trusts use free internet translation software.These facts on how our hard earned money is being spent is quite sickening.We are providing the rest of the world with medical treatment.They need to bring into force a card with your photograph in it that you must show before receiving free medical care from the NHS. To many parasites from around the world are stealing that care from every honest hard working British tax payer.And i will state on this post on behalf of everybody else 'WE ARE SICK OF IT'.I went up to the RBH recently and it was akin to being in Karachi.When i got out of there i even had a quick look in the sky for a drone.
ffaust-fficken
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3:08pm Thu 9 Feb 12
living the end times in BB1 wrote:Multi-culturalism at work.
The amount paid to translators was not available either.
It said most translated from English into between five and 25 different languages.
It described the amount spent as ‘truly staggering’ and suggested trusts use free internet translation software.These facts on how our hard earned money is being spent is quite sickening.We are providing the rest of the world with medical treatment.They need to bring into force a card with your photograph in it that you must show before receiving free medical care from the NHS. To many parasites from around the world are stealing that care from every honest hard working British tax payer.And i will state on this post on behalf of everybody else 'WE ARE SICK OF IT'.I went up to the RBH recently and it was akin to being in Karachi.When i got out of there i even had a quick look in the sky for a drone.
Can anybody name a single benefit to the indigenous population of this multi-culturalism, of which we had no say in bringing to our towns?
Cheap taxis? Cheap take-aways? (safe taxis/healthy food).
Education, Housing, Health - how has it benefited the population with these three things?
We keep being told by the likes of Jack Straw that it is a good thing. I grew up in the 70's and 80's - good times but the town has changed a lot. Has it been progress or are the Jack Straws of this country working to a different agenda than us folks who live with it daily?
TONY WALES
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3:12pm Thu 9 Feb 12
Tony Blair didn't do the country much good either, with his policy of letting everybody come into the country.
Cam needs to buck his ideas up as well, regarding his policies about who to let into this country.
The people can only be fooled for so long, after that, they will vote them out of office.
living the end times in BB1
says...
3:28pm Thu 9 Feb 12
ffaust-fficken wrote:The outcome of multi-culturalism will make the first and second world wars look like handbags.
living the end times in BB1 wrote:Multi-culturalism at work.
The amount paid to translators was not available either.
It said most translated from English into between five and 25 different languages.
It described the amount spent as ‘truly staggering’ and suggested trusts use free internet translation software.These facts on how our hard earned money is being spent is quite sickening.We are providing the rest of the world with medical treatment.They need to bring into force a card with your photograph in it that you must show before receiving free medical care from the NHS. To many parasites from around the world are stealing that care from every honest hard working British tax payer.And i will state on this post on behalf of everybody else 'WE ARE SICK OF IT'.I went up to the RBH recently and it was akin to being in Karachi.When i got out of there i even had a quick look in the sky for a drone.
Can anybody name a single benefit to the indigenous population of this multi-culturalism, of which we had no say in bringing to our towns?
Cheap taxis? Cheap take-aways? (safe taxis/healthy food).
Education, Housing, Health - how has it benefited the population with these three things?
We keep being told by the likes of Jack Straw that it is a good thing. I grew up in the 70's and 80's - good times but the town has changed a lot. Has it been progress or are the Jack Straws of this country working to a different agenda than us folks who live with it daily?
Accy Phil
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3:29pm Thu 9 Feb 12
Thowd Codger
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3:50pm Thu 9 Feb 12
Mikeee47
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3:57pm Thu 9 Feb 12
How many motorists with UK licences can't speak or understand basic English either when they're stopped by Police. Makes you wonder how they Passed the theory test doesn't it?
Quarter of a million quid, that would pay for some quality cancer treatment, If you want the green grass of the UK learn the basic language, & yes while I'm on the subject, I visit Turkey frequently for holidays and started learning their language why you might ask? so I can fit in better and learn more about the culture, even though the majority speak really good English,
The country is a joke how long before whimp not fit for purpose govt' grow a spine, and say NO MORE this is our England fit in of feck off. as Mrs Brown would say
DougFlo
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4:11pm Thu 9 Feb 12
The whole system of public finance is corrupt, disproportionate and wasteful. Why will nobody get a grip?
ffaust-fficken
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4:30pm Thu 9 Feb 12
DougFlo wrote:Anybody who is in a position to do anything is so scared of being labelled with the 'R' word.
Local people who need pain management cannot even get referred for treatment, but we can spend £225K on this nonsense.
The whole system of public finance is corrupt, disproportionate and wasteful. Why will nobody get a grip?
The politicians will stand there quite happily being accused of stealing or cash for questions but when it comes to the 'R' word - no.
Face it, you are just here to pay for everything.
Excluded again
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8:13pm Thu 9 Feb 12
retired one
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9:02pm Thu 9 Feb 12
This money should be spent on healthcare not wasted on translators. Those that need translators will not have paid a penny into the system so why should us tax-payers have to fund it?
mr beer belly
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10:31pm Thu 9 Feb 12
If we go to Australia we need to have skills and money in the Bank to support ourself NO FREE BEES. This is how it should be in the uk... Councilers need to Purk up and stop being soft with people....
Spanishblue
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7:22am Fri 10 Feb 12
Izanears
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10:54am Fri 10 Feb 12
Spanishblue wrote:I cannot agree more Spanishblue. I have friends who live in Spain who say exactly the same. However there is a problem in this country and the NHS which I feel is self inflicted. Unfortunately I have had to spend more time in hospital recently than I would have wished, and I found out that relatives are NOT allowed to act as interpreters. There may be a valid reason why this so, but I cannot think of one at the moment. Perhaps somone could tell me. Finally on this subject, my visits both as an in and out patient made me realise that an interpreter would be very helpful in understand what some of the medical staff say, because their command of English leaves a lot to be desired!!!!!!!
I live in Spain and have done for the last 9 years. I work here and pay into the system but if I need to see a doctor I have to pay for a translator myself. The NHS here doesn´t provide it for you. Most of the time I can understand what is going on but occasionally I will take a translator with me. I decided to live in Spain therefore I need to be able to converse in Spanish. If I can´t that´s my problem. If the patient can´t converse in English THEY should provide the translator NOT the NHS.
midas says...
2:20pm Thu 9 Feb 12
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25 different languages! When I am in Spain I don't expect the leaflets to be in English I expect to have to translate them myself.