2. Improving communication

Good communication between BME patients, healthcare professionals and service providers is vital in improving access to primary care. This does not necessarily mean paying for expensive translation services. Good practice shows that one can use resources that are readily available in the community, such as collaboration and sharing resources with local councils, bilingual staff and telephonic interpreting where appropriate. Improving communication can be as easy as researching where local English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) classes are held and directing patients to these.

Top ten tips to improve communication

1. The Multikulti website provides accessible, accurately translated advice and information in community languages. It includes information on how to register with a GP, NHS primary care and provisions to complement GP services.
2. A wide range of information on some of the most common diseases is often translated into the main community languages. These resources are easy to download or print, or can be ordered. Diabetes UK has developed a toolkit to enable community and religious leaders to host diabetes awareness sessions for people from the South Asian communities. It includes a handbook, a presentation on understanding diabetes and food, and speaker notes. Alzheimer’s Society and Asthma UK also have a range of information translated into various languages.
3. NHS Direct provides a confidential interpreter service in various languages. To use the interpreter service, call NHS Direct on 0845 4647.
4. Language Line works with organisations to provide a 24-hour telephone interpreting service that connects you to a qualified interpreter in less than a minute. This is cheaper than face-to-face interpreting and is easily accessible. SignTranslate is an internet-based translation program that converts English to British Sign Language (BSL) and can also be used for 12 foreign languages.
5. Websites can be translated using translating software. (Please note that the translation service may not provide a perfect representation of the English text.)
6. It’s possible to recruit a bilingual worker if there’s a ‘genuine occupational requirement’. For example, it would be a genuine occupational requirement to employ an individual to provide services to people from a particular racial group, defined by nationality or language, which only a bilingual person could do effectively.
7. Information about local ESOL classes can be found at www.direct.gov.uk and researched by your area or postcode.
8. Information on NHS Choices is provided in 12 community languages www.nhs.uk.
9. Language cards with the phrase ‘I speak …’ contain both the translation and the English text sitting side by side on a poster and are a simple way for patients from non-English-speaking communities to indicate their language.
10. Multi-lingual appointment card – www.communicate-health.org.uk – enables users to type in details of an appointment in English and translate the text accurately into community languages.