Ealing (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Patients in Ealing will soon benefit from a new mobile translation service aimed at improving healthcare access and removing language barriers during treatment.
One hundred new iPad trolleys have been distributed throughout the London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH), which is responsible for the operations of Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, Central Middlesex Hospital in Park Royal, and Ealing Hospital in Ealing.
Funded by LNWH Charity, the £125,000 project intends to improve accessibility and speed of translation for both patients and staff.
Arabic, Gujarati, and Romanian are the most commonly requested languages in hospitals.
With the new system, clinical teams can connect to a live video interpreter in a matter of minutes or utilize an interactive software that can translate up to 50 languages instantly on screen.
It already serves about 40,000 patients annually and takes the place of slower, more costly traditional interpreting services.
The technology meets the demands of “one of the most diverse communities in the UK,” according to Abdi Yussuf, the Trust’s lead for language and interpretation.
Regardless of language limitations, workers and patients find it easier thanks to technological advancements.
