SIS Website Stories are filled with accounts of SIS linguists’ interpreting practice that show their dedication and commitment to supporting patients’ communication needs. There is of course another part of this picture – namely the dedicated NHS staff who book and work with our interpreters, and who are as equally committed to ensuring patients’ rights are respected.
We share one example below.
SIS recently provided a Russian speaking interpreter for a physiotherapy appointment at Worthing Hospital. The physiotherapist was concerned to maintain continuity of interpreting, and to ensure the interpreter also attended a follow up appointment 2 days later. She took time on her non-working day contacting both her NHS colleagues and SIS to make the necessary arrangements. The interpreter was similarly invested and also contacted SIS to check if we’d received the booking request. Although we had not, SIS was happy to respond flexibly and work around our usual Booking Procedures to make sure our interpreter attended.
The physiotherapist responded on the day of the appointment to say:
“Thank you so much for doing this. The patient is here for her appointment at 8am so I am really grateful that you were able to organise for the interpreter to attend who I expect will be here shortly.”
The interpreter also fed back after the appointment to say:
“I successfully attended this appointment today at 8 am. Service Provider was very happy that I called you yesterday about this session. When I arrived the Service Provider already knew all story that you booked an interpreter and was very pleased.”
She also commented:
“I would like to add my impression of this Service Provider (X) a physiotherapist. Her communication with the Service User was so attentive, kind, and professional, and she clearly explained to the Service User her very delicate health issue. The Service User felt relaxed, comfortable, happy, and motivated to fix the problem. The Service User also shared with me her very positive emotions and happiness towards this physiotherapist.” and “I wish to have this physiotherapist for myself if I would be a Service User.”
Glowing praise indeed!
Our thanks to both our Russian speaking interpreter and the NHS staff for making this patient’s experience and journey within the NHS a positive one.
