to think if you want NHS care you should learn English or have an interpreter?

[theebayqueen]

My local town is now populated by 47% Polish - no problems as according to the figures 21% work so presumably speak English. I have to attend my local centre to see my Consultant and for scans. However, everytime I have been the centre is full of Polish woman who do not speak a word of English and expect the NHS to provide an interpreter. Thursday clinics are the worst as this is when the men have to attend the Job Centre to get "paid" so the ladies are left to fend for themselves. The men seem to be able to speak more English than the woman.

At first they were turned away as the MW's were unable to do their jobs properly but these ladies have filed a law suit against the clinic stating it is their human right to have NHS care as they are on the benefit system and that the NHS should provide full time interpreters for them.

If they win, does this not open up another can of worms that every person that can't speak English and on the benefit system is entitled to on demand interpreters?! This would then be another huge cost to the NHS.

I am in no way racist and if the UK wants to encourage people over here for benefits then so be it but when does the free stuff stop?! Should people not learn to speak English if they want to claim on the benefit system?

[thegreylady]

Our GP surgery in our small Shropshire town has the digital sign in screen with a choice between Polish and English. When you think of the great service done to this country by Polish airmen during the war and the shabby way they were treated afterwards all of us should be glad that we are finally giving something back to these proud,hardworking and very courageous people.

[tiktok]

Could be Warsaw, Eau?

[TotallyBS]

47% in your town is Polish??? Care to name this town?

Or is it really 47% are Asian and you think that by country changing you can avoid being flamed for being racist (not that I think that you are).

[JoanByers]

Are you getting confused with 4.7%?

[Forgetfulmog]

OP???

[AgentProvocateur]

Actually, my DSIL was an interpreter for a while, and the NHS was the biggest client of the company she worked for. The cost to the NHS is astronomical. There are two kinds - planned interpreters, and ad-hoc, which are even more expensive. I believe a lot is being done over the phone now to save money

[tiktok]

www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/dec/11/census-boston-eastern-european-immigration shows that census returns indicate 10.7 per cent of people in Boston, Lincs are Eastern European (Poland , Latvia etc) and it has the highest proportion in England and Wales.

So - not exactly 47 per cent Polish, is it?:)

[herladyship]

If OP does in fact mean Boston, her post is untrue as I've worked for United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust & they use pearl linguistics in MW clinics!

[TheLightPassenger]

I await the OPs link to info about the court case with great interest ,

[GailTheGoldfish]

Everyone has a right to privacy in medical situations and therefore a qualified interpreter is the correct option. No one should have to discuss personal medical information through a third party who was a family member/friend. It may well be more cost effective in some communities to employ a full time interpreter if the need was great enough. Interpreters can be expensive but are worth paying for - however it is wasteful if an interpreter is booked for an appointment and the client doesn't show up.

[HappyJoyful]

I think you are hugely generalising and making nasty (and racist) comments about the Polish community - without, as many have asked, being able to submit any evidence what so ever.

Many of the Polish or other Eastern Europeans that are here are working hard, it is outrageous and ignorant to state that the 'men are getting 'paid'.

I think you will find many of the Eastern Europeans here are young and try hard to learn the language and work. As many have said, there are huge amounts of immigrants of all nationalities that also don't speak English.. as other's have said and having worked in Social Housing (another area like NHS) where interpreters are needed I have certainly come across many Asian women of a certain age or Somali women living here within tight knit communities speak little or no English and are far more heavily reliant on translation services than the Eastern European community.

[SunshineOutdoors]

I hope you never find yourself in a situation where you need medical attention but you can't understand what the doctor is saying about your condition or the treatment you will receive.

[ginmakesitallok]

Our NHS policy is that anyone who doesn't speak English is entitled to an interpreter. We use telephone interpretation mostly, but also have face to face if clinically required. Should NHS just turn non English speakers away? Or just test them without actually understanding them or getting informed consent? We do work closely with adult learning and give info about language classes.

A common reason to use interpreters is with dementia, when people often revert to their mother tongue.

Op, yabu

[Forgetfulmog]

The OP appears to have gone AWOL

[BoulevardOfBrokenSleep]

I'm also fascinated to find out where this town is that's 47% Polish....

Oh, wait, has the town only got two houses?

[Chislemum]

znaika agree with you that someone who comes to live here permanently needs to learn the language for their own benefit - just like you and I have. I am foreign myself.

However, medical should not depend on whether you speak the language.

Ideally NHS staff should also be required to speak English that can be understood.... not always a given and a bit dangerous when you cannot understand what you are being told.

[Chislemum]

znaika agree with all you said, just wanted to add that.

[t0lk13n]

I teach in a school with 30% children who are Polish...the children usually go to the hospital appointments to interpret...what probably happened for generations when people emigrated here!

[tiktok]

Interpreters are paid by the hour, and are not permanently on call.

(I know this, as I ran a bf support group where we had an interpreter (Urdu), who was paid on an hourly rate to attend).

No one expects public services to provide interpreters for 100s of different languages everywhere.

[Chislemum]

znaika if people need medical care it cannot be withheld just because they cannot speak the language. Yes, it is difficult with interpreters and not sure what the answer is here.... still if someone suffers, would you withhold help?

[herladyship]

Telephone interpreters are multinational companies & hundreds of languages are available at the touch of a button! I've spoken to people via phone interpreter in languages I'd never heard of!

Also had a face to face interpreter for a polish gentleman who needed arm amputation after an accident.. Not everything is appropriate over phone