Translation tech for patients trialled in Northern Ireland

A handheld translation device is being trialled across the Southern Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland, to help improve communication between staff and patients who do not speak English.

The pocket-sized digital kit, which can translate up to 108 languages through audio or text in real time, was introduced as a pilot in September 2024 at the emergency departments (EDs) at Craigavon Area Hospital and Daisy Hill Hospital, as well as some GP practices across the trust.

It works by talking into a small microphone and it relays what that person has said to healthcare staff in English, and back again to the patient in his or her native language.

Martina McAloon, multi-disciplinary teams in primary care social work lead at Southern Health and Social Care Trust, said: “We are keen to promote and improve access to our services for all of those living in our local community.

“The translation devices are an ideal solution for those occasions when a person arrives into a GP surgery or ED without an interpreter, or perhaps when we cannot match a specific language interpreter for an urgent appointment time.

“They allow the initial consultation to proceed rather than cancelling the appointment, ensuring the best use of staff time and health and social care resources, and that we can offer more timely care with a better overall patient experience.”

The six-month pilot scheme will run until the end of March 2025 across the Southern  Trust, which has one of the most ethnically-diverse patient populations in Northern Ireland.

Paul Smyth, acting head of department for EDs and minor injury unit, said: “Effective communication is absolutely vital in a busy health and social care setting.

“In the multilingual world that we are now living in, we are always striving to ensure that we are effectively communicating with all of our service users.

“These new devices are a welcome addition to interpreting support. For example, if a patient arrives without a pre booked interpreter or in an emergency situation, it allows staff to quickly respond and arrange the most suitable care without delay.”

The Southern Trust provides services across the five council areas of Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon, Dungannon, and Newry and Mourne.

Alison Rooney, director of operations for the Southern GP Federation, said: “Following a successful funding bid in collaboration with the Southern Trust, we delivered translator devices to 20 practices within the Craigavon GP Federation last week and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

“This welcome addition is designed to enhance, not replace, existing translation services, ensuring more equitable access to healthcare, particularly for on the day presentations, for patients who do not speak English.”

There are plans to roll out the translation device to Newry, Armagh and Dungannon over the coming weeks.