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Greystone House Surgery

Category: 6.2. Improving the experience of people with hearing loss

Greystone House Surgery

At the Greystone House Surgery in Surrey, doctors struggled to communicate with deaf patients and with people whose first language wasn’t English.

Deaf patients would have to book an interpreter for their appointments, giving three weeks’ advance notice. In order to communicate with patients who did not speak or understand English, doctors would have to use an expensive telephone translation service.

So it was no surprise that Dr Joe McGilligan jumped at the chance in 2008 to try SignTranslate, an internet-based translation program that converts English to BSL and 12 foreign spoken languages.

SignTranslate is partnered with EMIS and is provided free by SignHealth, a healthcare charity for deaf people. There is a link to SignTranslate within Emis, and practices with different clinical systems can access it via the internet at: www.signtranslate.com.

To use the service, practices just enter their NHS practice codes.

Once logged in, doctors see a set of pre-defined medical questions. The doctor clicks on a question and a BSL video clip is produced for the deaf patient. The patient can then respond with ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers, or can point to icons on the screen to ask his or her own questions.

For non-English speakers, the question appears on the screen translated into their language, and it can also be spoken out by the computer to help illiterate patients.

SignTranslate was trialled in 2008 at 20 practices in a commissioning group that Joe chairs and was well received by all.

‘Everyone thinks it’s fantastic,’ says Joe. ‘Patients don’t have to book three weeks in advance. They can ask a question and they don’t need
an interpreter there, so they don’t have to share their personal details with someone other than the doctor, as used to be the case.’

SignHealth also offers a live webcam link to a sign language interpreter, for a charge of £2.50 per minute for a minimum of ten minutes. This requires a software download from the internet.

Benefits

  • Deaf patients and patients who don’t speak English don’t have to book appointments weeks in advance.
  • SignTranslate spares patients the embarrassment of having to share their personal details with a third person.
  • Using the free service saves on interpreters and telephone interpretation.
  • Patients can understand the diagnosis better than they would without any kind of interpretation, reducing the need for repeat appointments and thus saving time and money.
  • The system improves communication between doctors and patients.
  • SignTranslate reduces health inequalities.

Tips

  • It initially takes time to get used to the system and to master the various icons and questions.
  • SignTranslate is not a substitute for an interpreter. There may be times when the presence of an interpreter is essential, and deaf patients or patients who do not speak English should always have the option of booking a live interpreter.

Contact

Joe McGilligan
joe.mcgilligan@gp-h81030.nhs.uk

 

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