Interpreter Guidelines
1. Introduction
These guidelines were developed as part of a number of workshops (Communicating with parents whose first language is not English in antenatal and newborn screening - reducing inequalities) run by Antenatal Results & Choices, in collaboration with the UK National Screening Committee, in 2009.
Learning outcomes
- Establish core principles of good practice to allow clear communication between parents, interpreters and health professionals during times of stress and crisis
- Enable non-English speaking parents to make informed choices around antenatal screening, testing and its aftermath
- Explore ways of breaking bad news through an interpreter
- Look at ways of dealing with challenging situations involving language difficulties
- Develop an awareness of the particular challenges facing interpreters working in these settings
- Become aware of attitudes, stereotypes and preconceptions
Please note that these guidelines relate to spoken language interpreters. Information on a working with BSL interpreters is available on the Association of Sign Language Interpreters and Royal National Institute for Deaf People websites.
2. Agreed principles of good practice
The following points emerged as consensus across all the workshops.
It is important to:
- Allow plenty of time for the appointment
- Ensure that the professionals and interpreter arrive on time
- Double check before the consultation that the interpreter speaks the right language/dialect
- Ensure that the interpreter gets a briefing from the professional on the issues that need to be discussed
- Turn off mobile phones
- Introduce everyone properly and explain the role of everyone in the room
- Agree confidentiality
- Create a friendly atmosphere between the professional, client and interpreter. This includes:-
- Appropriate seating arrangements of all present
- Eye contact - the professional needs to look at the client, not the interpreter
- Body language - move your chair to face the client
- Listen
- Empathise
- Support
- Ensure that the interpreter is unbiased
- Give evidence based information
- Interpret everything and do not omit things
- Respect the individual's cultural and religious beliefs - whilst not making assumptions
- Ensure professionals and interpreters speak slowly and concisely
- Use short, specific, clear sentences while communicating with everyone
- Explain issues plainly and clearly
- Repeat information frequently and check client understanding
- Reflect on what has been said and understood
- Allow time and space to make a decision - and to ensure that follow up contact can be made when a decision is reached
- Allow informed choice
- Have back up in the form of leaflets in different languages and visual aids when necessary
- Have continuity of the interpreter whenever possible
- Allow time for debrief - let woman leave first
Please do not:
- Treat a woman who doesn't speak English any differently to one who does just because an interpreter is present
- Use family or friends (and especially children) to interpret
- Rush the consultation
- Make assumptions about women and their families on the basis of religion, culture and lifestyle or anything else
- Pass on personal opinions and judgments and make comments (interpreter and professional)
- (as an interpreter or advocate) Ignore the professionals and get involved in ‘side conversations' - maintain professional boundaries
- Exchange personal information
- Assume that the woman understands the UK health service or service provision
- Be directive if a woman asks "What would you do?".(Suggest - "I can't tell you what I would do but if I were you, these are the things I would consider"
- Direct questions for the woman to other people present or let other family members etc dominate
- Make decisions for clients
- Stray off the subject
- Get emotional
- Use jargon
- Pressurise to make decisions quickly
