Accessibility

Non-English Speakers

If English is not your first language, we offer the option of telephone interpreting services (including 3 way telephone calls). We ask that when arranging an appointment, we are made aware that you will require an interpreter and for which language this is required.

Telephone interpreting services are provided by The Big Word

Face to face interpreting services are provided by Health & Social Care Board (HSCB) Interpreter service.

Telephone interpreter services are used for urgent care as face to face interpreters are not available same day and have to be booked in advance.

A written translation service is available for patients who present with letters/documents in any language other than English. Your documents will be sent to HSCB for translation back/to English. This service can take a few weeks, so please be patient.

Please be assured that anything discussed via an interpreter will be held in the strictest confidence by the interpreter.

British Sign Language/Irish Sign Language

An interpreting service is available free of charge for patients using GP services. This includes interpreting for people who are deaf or deaf/blind.

Some patients are happy to bring a companion to their appointment to act as interpreter; but we understand you may have occasions that this is not appropriate and prefer the assistance of 3rd party interpreting services (language translation or sign language translation).

We do not allow children to act as interpreters during your treatment or appointments.

A member of the Team from the Practice dealing with your treatment or appointment will arrange the interpreter.

When you register with us; we will record on your clinical record that you require assistance when onsite or when accessing our services. This message will appear to any member of the team who accesses your file. However, we would ask that you remind us at the time of booking an appointment that you require assistance/ interpreter services.

If you have a hearing disability and would benefit from a BSL/ISL interpreter, please make us aware prior to your appointment so we can arrange for an interpreter to be present.

The service we use for sign language interpreting is signvideo.co.uk

How to connect

Sign Language users: Connect using a smartphone, tablet, or computer to use both VRS and VRI services.

HSCNI staff members: Connect using your landline/mobile phone the same as any other call. This would be for accepting a VRS call – for VRI in the same location, a device would have to be shared.