Patients from non-English speaking backgrounds will struggle to be heard after recent changes to the region’s interpreter service according to a senior Wollongong physician.
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Dr Christopher Dunn, a specialist in thoracic medicine, said after decades of assistance the local health district’s Health Care Interpreter Service (HCIS) was suddenly off-limits to private doctors’ rooms.
‘’I’ve been working in this region for over 40 years and the health district has always been able to supply interpreters in specialist rooms such as ours, as well as at GPs offices,’’ he said. ‘’We’ve really valued that as it’s a great service and the interpreters are really skilled.
‘’However last week when we rang up to make a booking we were told that this service was no longer available outside the public hospital system – that the decision had now been made to enforce a policy that exists in some Sydney health districts, where no interpreters are allowed into private facilities.
‘’This has been done with no consultation or communication with specialists or GPs or with the many people who rely on the service.’’
Dr Dunn said he believed the service should remain available to patients who do not speak English as a first language, who had a Medicare card. A Commonwealth funded phone interpreter service was the only other option, but was not ideal.
‘’The main problem with this option is that it’s a bit impersonal – would you want to be told you have lung cancer by an anonymous voice on the end of the phone?’’ Dr Dunn said.
‘’Nothing can replace having an interpreter in the same room – and the interpreters we have relied on have built a lot of trust with our patients, know the nuances of the languages, and are familiar with the medical terms they need to interpret.
‘’We understand there’s a significant need for interpreters in the hospital system – and our patients go there too – but they should also be available to patients in the community.’’
Dr Dunn said his practice had used the service regularly – two or three times a week – with Italian, Greek, Macedonian, Spanish and Vietnamese interpreters the most in demand.
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District spokeswoman Caroline Langston said an increase in demand for interpreters by public patients had led to the decision to no longer make them available for private doctors.
‘’During a recent review of the HCIS, it was identified that up to half of the interpreter work being carried out was to support privately practicing specialists. To ensure that public patients receive priority access to interpreting services, private specialists have been advised the HCIS can no longer be used for private use.’’
Ms Langston said the service would honour existing bookings but would no longer be taking new appointments from private specialists.
‘’From time-to-time there may be a particularly complex shared client that is being seen by a private specialist and accessing the HCIS. In these circumstances consideration will be given to what services the HCIS can provide,’’ she said.
Ms Langston – executive director of Integrated Care, Mental Health, Planning, Information and Performance – said the change brought the service in line with health services across NSW and with NSW Health policy, which outlined that HCIS was for publically funded services only.
She said private specialists had access to the free Commonwealth Translating and Interpreting Service provided by the Department Immigration and Border Protection.
