Summary guidance for staff

• Guidance on translation services available to the public is available here

To support people who do not have English as a first language, the following agencies have adopted a partnership approach:

• The Highland Council
• NHS Highland
• Northern Constabulary
• Inverness Prison

A quick reference guide to interpretation and translation is provided below. Members of staff can find more specific information by clicking on the relevant link below:

• NHS Highland, Equality and Diversity page on the NHS Intranet.
• Highland Council, Interpretation Pages on the HC Intranet
• Northern Constabulary, Interpretation Page on NC Intranet
• Inverness Prison

General information:

As service providers we have a responsibility to meet the communication support needs of customers and to provide appropriate access to translation and interpretation services when needed.

Staff are advised to use professional interpreters and translators and not to use friends and relatives. The use of children as interpreters or translators should always be avoided.

It is our responsibility as public agencies to ensure that interpretation and/or translated materials are available as required. It is not the responsibility of the service user to book services, or to meet the costs of this.

Frequently asked questions

How can I organise an interpreter?

Interpretation is the conversion of speech from one language to another. Interpreting services can be provided over the telephone or face to face.

The partner agencies use the following interpreting companies:

• Telephone interpretation: Language Line ServicesThis service can provide interpreting in over 150 languages over the phone, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Telephone interpreting can be provided almost immediately and so is useful for emergencies, for unplanned appointments or out-of-hours requirements. This service is useful for straightforward enquiries that would not require an appointment, or as an initial contact to determine the nature of an inquiry and whether face-to-face interpretation is required. An agency code is required to use this service. You can find out the details of this on the partnership links below.
• Face-to-face interpretation (and some telephone interpretation): Global Language Services LtdFace to face interpretation is most useful for pre arranged appointments and meetings and when a lot of personal or technical information is to be shared. Please note that this service may be available in emergencies, but this cannot be guaranteed. If you would like to book a face to face interpreter please call the Highland Office of Global Language Services Limited on 01463 258839 or email mail@globalinverness.com. Staff can be contacted 24 hours a day.

Where can I Access British Sign Language Interpreting?
NHS Highland and Highland Council commission Deaf Action to provide a communication support service based in Inverness which includes BSL interpretation. Priority for the service is given to deaf people requiring a BSL interpreter to enable them to fully access information when attending hospital, their GP, or a Highland Council appointment and is provided free of charge (at the point of delivery) to Council and NHS Highland services.

For further information please contact:

Deaf Action, Highland Office, Communication Support Unit
Freephone: 0800 014 1401
Email: bookings@deafaction.org
Voice/Text: 01463 250204 Fax: 01463 250749
SMS only: 07797 800 064

How do I arrange Translation?

Translation is the conversion of written words from one language to another.
The partners do not have a preferred supplier of translation services. Individual agencies will have lists of providers of services, please contact your equalities lead for information or see the partnership links below.

Where can I access codes for telephone interpretation or find further guidance on interpretation and translation?

Each agency has its own guidance and its own code to access Language Line Services. We also provide frontline staff with language charts which may help clients with no English to identify their own language so that we can arrange interpretation support for them. Please contact your equalities/interpretation lead or follow the links below.

• NHS Highland, Equality and Diversity page on the NHS Intranet.
• Highland Council, Interpretation Pages on the HC intranet
• Northern Constabulary, Interpretation Page on NC Intranet
• Inverness Prison