Language interpretation

General Medical Council guidance on Good Medical Practice states that clinicians must make sure, wherever practical, that arrangements are made to meet patients’ language and communication needs.1

Primary care trusts, hospital trusts and other NHS bodies usually have contracts with professional providers of interpretation services. Particularly for the discussion of sensitive medical matters, it is often inappropriate to rely on a patient’s family or friends to interpret.

References

  1. General Medical Council Good Medical Practice. See paragraph 23. Retrieved from http://www.gmc-uk.org/static/documents/content/GMP_0910.pdf, 2006

Acknowledgements

Written by: Roger Pebody

With thanks to: Chris Morley (George House Trust), Joe Murray (NAT), Yusef Azad (NAT), Sarah Radcliffe (NAT), Fizza Qureshi (Doctors of the World UK), Gary Christie (Scottish Refugee Council), Hannah Abbs (Southend Borough Council)

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