Services Available for Primary Health Interpreting

For Telephone Interpreting sessions, interpreters facilitate communication between parties over a telephone.

When to Use Telephone Interpreting?

Telephone interpreting is most appropriate in the following situations:

• for sessions less than 45 minutes

• in primary health, community and rural settings, e.g. GP clinic appointments

• for non-complex discussions, i.e. where the information is is of a type that could ordinarily discussed with the patient / client over the telephone, e.g. admission and check out procedures;

• in an emergency situation where there is a delay in obtaining an interpreter for a face-to-face session, to facilitate faster assessment / treatment of the patient / client, e.g. to obtain symptoms and/or medical history from a patient / client

For Onsite Interpreting sessions, interpreters facilitate communication between parties in face-to-face sessions and also provide sight translation when required (the process of translating written information into speech).  This includes Sign-Language interpreting where interpreters facilitate communication between deaf/hearing impaired patients / clients and health professionals.

When to Use Onsite Interpreting?

Onsite interpreting is most appropriate for the following situations:

• where the session is likely to last for more than 45 minutes

• when collecting medical history or conducting a health screening of patients, especially new patients or older people or mental health clients

• for narrative therapy, assessment / diagnosis and treatment of mental health clients

• where decision making is required, e.g. treatment plan or informed consent

• for managing sensitive and emotional issues, e.g. communicating bad news or giving poor prognosis

• for communicating complex medical information, e.g. explanation of procedures or how to self-administer medication

For Appointment Confirmation assignment, interpreters will contact a patient / client by telephone to:

• confirm, cancel or reschedule an appointment with a patient, e.g. clinic appointment or a home visit

• confirm if an interpreter is required

For Telephone Assignments interpreters make up to three telephone calls to the same patient / client, for example to remind them to take their medication, or check their health status on behalf of the health professional.

When to use Telephone Assignment?

Telephone Assignments are useful in the following situations:

• for managing an episode of care (highly recommended for community health services)

• for providing instructions for a patient / client prior to a procedure / treatment or scripted non-complex health information 

• for helping to identify the language of a new patient / client to avoid booking an incorrect language interpreter; and whether there is a need for an interpreter to avoid booking an interpreter if the patient / client is English speaking