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| Interpreting services for primary health services |
PHIS Newsletters
Printable Quick Guides
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Free interpreting services are available to:
- All PHO services
- Retinal Screening services
- Psychological services
- Podiatrist services
- Physiotherapists
- General Practices
- Community based retinal screening services
- Pharmacy Services
- Community Laboratory Services
- Community Radiology Services
- Community Pre-school Oral Health Education Services
- Plunket Nurses
- Accident & Medical Clinic
- Independent Midwives
- Parent and Family resource centre (for parents and
families of children and young
people with disabilities)
- Arthritis NZ (Auckland region only)
- NZ Family Planning Assoc (Auckland region only)
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Online Quick Guide
Guide 1: How to access
interpreters
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Service types |
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- (TINT) Telephone interpreting: this service can connect one to six people over the phone with an Interpreter supporting the communication process between the non-English speaker(s) (NES) and English speaker(s) (ES).
- (SINT) Face to Face (site) interpreting: this service provides an Interpreter to support face to face communication process between NES client and ES GP staff at the specifi ed clinic/location.
- (APC) Appointment Confirmation: this service provides an Interpreter to confi rm/ cancel/ reschedule appointments with NES clients over the phone.
- (TA) Telephone Assignment: this service provides an Interpreter to do 1-3 follow-up calls with NES clients (eg checking medications/health status) with specific instructions.
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Service Guidelines |
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- Telephone interpreting (TINT) is the default medium for all primary health consultations because of cost and convenience
- Face to face(site) interpreting service (SINT) will only be provided only if sessions or
consultations with the health professionals/service staff involves:
- More than 45 minutes
- Sign-language interpreting
- Comprehensive health history and complex medical issues
- Psychological therapies (e.g. counselling, cognitive behaviour therapy)
- Interventions such as HPV, B4SC, breast screening, retinal screening
- Refugees and asylum seeker patients who have been in NZ for two years or lesser
- Medicine review, and interventions in home settings
- Interpreter-assisted consultations must be managed in timely manner (it is costly to keep interpreters waiting)
- When giving bad news or providing sensitive information to clients over the phone, you may wish to ask for an out-of-town interpreter (only applicable to telephone interpreting) who is unlikely to know the client personally (this is an issue, especially, with smaller community groups)
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Access Criteria |
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Enrolled or casual primary health migrant and refugee clients who are
- Eligible for publicly funded health services in NZ
- Do not speak English or have limited English speaking language proficiency
- Have hearing impairments requiring sign language interpreting are
eligible for free primary health interpreting service
Exception:Private Specialists and ACC-related clients are not eligible for this service.
Note:Clients who are not eligible for free interpreting service could access an interpreter if they agree to pay for the cost directly to the interpreter (can be arranged via WATIS).
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User Payment for Interpreting Service |
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- No fee is payable by clients or primary health providers for the interpreting service when access guidelines and criteria are met
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Client Confidentiality |
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- All information communicated to the interpreter remains confidential.
- Interpreters are required to follow WDHB Policies and protocols in regard to client confidentiality.
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Training |
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Primary health staff will be provided with the following training:
- How to access or book interpreting services.
- How to work with interpreters effectively.
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Booking Information / Feedback / Reports |
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Available online via www.watis.org.nz or contact us by phone
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Languages provided |
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Available online via http://www.watis.org.nz/info/language.php
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Service Hours |
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Monday to Friday except for public holidays, 8:00am to 7:00pm.
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How to make urgent bookings |
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Urgent bookings = Bookings requiring immediate response to request.
- Dial 0800 88 77 65 (WATIS call centre)
- For URGENT TINT bookings you will be asked the following information:
• Your Access Code _______________________
• Your clinic name, your surname, then first name, phone number
• Interpreter preference: Language or Gender/Name
• For TINT: do you want an Out-of Town (Yes/No)
• Is the patient with you? (if not patient phone number)
• Duration of appointment
RESPONSE: Please hold and you will be connected with an interpreter within 10 minutes or if you prefer WATIS could call you back within 10 minutes
For URGENT SINT/APC/TA bookings you will be asked the following information:
• Access code; clinic name, your surname, firstname, phone number
• Interpreter preference: Language or Gender/Name
• Duration of appointment
• For SINT: Appointment Location, who to report to
• For APC/TA: pt phone number
RESPONSE: WATIS will call back to confi rm booking status within 10 minutes
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How to make non-urgent same day bookings over the phone |
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- You will be asked all of the above plus….
- Patient NHI number, gender, surname, firstname
- Appointment date, time, duration
RESPONSE: WATIS will call back to confirm booking status within 10 minutes
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How to make non-urgent following day bookings |
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RESPONSE: An email confirmation will be sent to you within 24 hours or within your specified timeframe noted in your booking form.
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How to contact us |
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- For enquiries/urgent changes to bookings,please dial 0800 88 77 65
- For non-urgent changes via WATIS online system www.watis.org.nz
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Guide 2: How to work with
interpreters
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Interpreter's roles |
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Interpreters' roles are threefold ONLY:
- To act as a Conduit to process spoken language, with meaning, so that the exact
equivalent is provided in the target language, with no omissions, additions or editing.
- To act as a Clarifier to interpret underlying and metaphorical meanings within the cultural context.
- To act as a Cultural Advisor to provide a necessary framework for the message being interpreted. The interpreter would inform either party about relevant cultural practices and expectations, ethics and etiquette when there is either apparent or potential misunderstanding, and assist in maintaining a good therapeutic relationship through mutual respect and understanding.
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Trained Interpreters |
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Trained Interpreter refers to someone who has received certified professional qualifications.
Competencies expected from trained interpreters include:
- Understanding of their roles.
- Ability to provide consecutive interpreting (i.e. interprets after 2nd party has finished speaking).
- Ability to provide sight translation (i.e. translate documents in sessions such as consent forms, Mental Health Act etc. Written translations are not part of the role.
- Have knowledge of NZ health system and basic health terminology.
- Adheres to the Interpreters' Code of Ethics (Accuracy; Confidentiality; Impartiality; No conflict of interest; Professional courtesy; Declining work; contractual obligations; Standard of conduct).
It is recommended that trained interpreters be used when required to communicate effectively with clients especially when:
- Determining client's medical history, injury, and ailment.
- Explaining confidential/ sensitive issues / bad news (serious medical issues).
- Client and / or family are distressed/emotional.
- Client is undergoing invasive procedure/treatment.
- Discharge or referral information needs to be given.
- Managing an entire episode of complex care.
- Client is undergoing therapy /counselling and crisis intervention.
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Untrained interpreters |
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Untrained interpreter refers to family members, friends, support persons, volunteers, or staff or anyone who has not had professional training as an interpreter.
Untrained interpreters should only be used when:
- Clients insist because of confidential/sensitive issues/bad news
- It is really urgent and there is no interpreter available
- It is only for very simple/non-medical related information
Commonly committed errors in interpreting especially when using untrained interpreters: Omission; Addition; Substitution; Role exchange; Closed/open statements; Normalisation; Condensation. |
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Modes of interpreting |
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- Consecutive Interpreting mode: The interpreter speaks after the source-language (SL) speaker
has finished speaking. When the SL speaker pauses or finishes speaking, the interpreter then
renders the entire message in the target language (TL). This is the most common mode used by
health professionals and most preferred by interpreters. This interpreting process will double the
time required for consultation session
- Simultaneous interpreting mode: The interpreter renders the message in the target language as
quickly as he or she can formulate it from the source language, while the SL speaker continuously
speaks. This is useful for managing clients who are willing to use this mode (especially when
clients rambles and do not pause for interpreters). The process takes up lesser time however
it requires all parties to agree to this mode. It is not recommended for clients who are hearing
voices or find it difficult to listen.
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How to assess the need for an interpreter |
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- Ask your client open ended questions that require more than a YES/ NO answer.
- Ask your client to repeat what you have just said in their own words.
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How to work with interpreters |
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It would be more effective when working with an interpreter to make time for a short pre-briefing session, and also for a de-briefing session after the appointment time.
1. Pre-session brief
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Introduce yourself (your role).
- Identify a leader for the session (if more than one health professional).
- For face to face sessions, arrange an appropriate seating arrangement to facilitate the communication.
- Brief interpreter the purpose and objectives of the session.
- Obtain cultural background from the interpreter (if necessary or if you with to understand cultural etiquette).
- Establish mode of interpreting – consecutive or simultaneous.
- Brief on confidentiality protocol (this also includes not discussing client in the session).
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2. Session structure
- Introduce interpreter and explain your and their role to the client (include fact that everything said in the session will be interpreted ie no private discussions between parties during the session).
- Assure client that rule of confidentiality applies to both practitioner and interpreter.
- Establish ground rules of speaking through the interpreter (ie not to).
- For face to face sessions, maintain eye contact with your client (if appropriate) not with interpreter.
- Expect the interpreter to use the 1st person singular when interpreting.
- Direct questions/statements to the client or family not directly to the interpreter.
- Do not enter into direct conversation with the interpreter.
- Do not ask the interpreter for their opinion (only for cultural clarifi cation).
- Pause at regular intervals for the interpreter to assimilate and interpret.
- Allow enough time for the interpreter to convey information (it may only take 3 words to explain but it may take more time for the interpreter to convey the information in their language.
- Use short sentences.
- Check with interpreter about any cultural contexts for information by patient (if necessary).
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3. De-briefing after the session
- Summarise session and discuss whether objectives where met (there may be language or cultural reasons if objectives were not met).
- Clarify diagnostic /treatment issues where necessary.
- Clarify any cultural issues, interpretation of words or concepts.
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4. General guidelines
In the interests of clinical safety it is advisable that interpreters are not left alone with the client/family either before or after the session. (They may require a private place to wait before the session begins).
Since clients often identify strongly with the interpreter for cultural reasons, they may divulge information to the interpreter before or after the session which they do not share with the practitioner. This leaves the client vulnerable and the interpreter holding information they may not be equipped to deal with. For this reason interpreters are not to transport clients.
Interpreters are expected to engage with the client/ family in a professional capacity only, for the purposes of the health intervention. It is understood that interpreters may know clients from a social context given the small communities to which many migrant and refugee clients belong. This can be addressed in the pre-briefing session if necessary.
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Important Things to Note |
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Face to face interpreting - 93% of face to face communication is brought across from non-verbal communication and “the way we say things” (e.g.. tone of voice, intonation, stress, pitch, speed, volume). With telephone interpreting, there is a loss of visual cues, and in order for interpreters to
interpret effectively, ES needs to ask basic and succinct information and use simple languages and watch the speed to overcome heavy accent and pronunciation which impact phone communication significantly.
NB: Appointment location must have a speaker phone.
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How to work with a Telephone Interpreter |
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I= Interpreter; ES= English Speaking Staff; NES= Non English Speaking Client
NB: Appointment location must have a speaker phone.
Once the Interpreter is on the phone (before the session)
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- Identify his/her name and role, and confirm start time with ES staff/doctor.
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| ES1: |
- Introduce his/her name and role to the Interpreter.
- Agree interpreting mode (consecutive/ simultaneous) to be used for the session.
- Brief the Interpreter the purpose and / objectives of the session.
- Obtain cultural background / greetings (if necessary).
- Identify leader for the session if there are more than one ES staff joining the call.
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At start of session:
ES staff directs information, questions and answers to NES client through the Interpreter (using 1st person singular). Must pause for interpreting at regular intervals (after 3 short sentences and allow time for Interpreter to assimilate and interpret for effective interpreting)
| ES2: |
Good morning I am Dr XXXX and I am doing a physical examination…
We have an interpreter to support your communication and his/her name is ZZZZZ. |
| ES3: |
Please note that everything said in the session will be interpreted ie no private discussions between parties during the session) and that confidentiality applies to both practitioner and interpreter. |
At the end of the session:
| ES4: |
If there is a need to clarify with the Interpreter regarding any cultural context or communication issues (must let client knows that this is happening before doing this). |
| ES5: |
Confirm the session end time with the Interpreter (HH:MM). |
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How to work with Interpreters in Face to Face session |
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On Arrival at appointment location
| I: |
- Greet, show ID card and advise his/her name, Job number and patient name to ES staff/ clinic reception staff.
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| ES: |
- Introduce his/her name and role to the Interpreter
- Arrange appropriate seating arrangements (especially for group session)
- Agree interpreting mode (consecutive/simultaneous) to be used for the session
- Brief the Interpreter the purpose and / objectives of the session
- Obtain cultural background / greetings (if necessary)
- Identify leader for the session if there are more than one ES staff joining the call
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At start of session, same as above
During session, same as above and maintain eye contact with client
At end of session, same as above, confirm end time and sign the Interpreter Job Form
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