The Northern Sydney Local Health District (NSLHD) provides professional health care interpreting services to facilitate accurate communication between patients, carers and family members who are not fluent in English, including people who have a hearing impairment, and staff of the NSLHD. 

The Health Care Interpreter Service is managed by the Western Sydney Local Health District.

Patients and staff have access to the following interpreting services:

• 24 hour on site interpreting at NSLHD facilities.
• 24 hour telephone interpreting at NSLHD facilities.
• Interpreting at home visits (for health care providers who are visiting their patients/clients at home).
• Interpreting at health information/education sessions in community venues.
• Translation of patients' health related documents .
• Provision of information regarding clients' cultural background to health care providers.

In service training sessions on the effective use of health care interpreters are also available for NSLHD staff members.

All interpreting services are free of charge to the patient, carers and family members.

Eligibility

All patients, carers and family members who are not fluent in English, including people who have a hearing impairment.

Referral

Both telephone and onsite (face to face) interpreters can only be booked by NSLHD staff members through the Health Care Interpreter Service Call Centre. Patients, carers and family members can request a NSLHD staff member to book an interpreter for them.

The Call Centre is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Contact Telephone: 02 9912 3800.

Non-urgent bookings can also be made via fax and email:

Fax: 02 9840 3789.

Email: wslhd-hcis@health.nsw.gov.au

Urgent cases

The Health Care Interpreter Centre Call Centre is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please call 02 9912 3800 for urgent attention.

Other Information

The use of professional interpreters allows health professionals to fulfil their duty of care, including obtaining valid consent. Consent obtained without the use of a professional interpreter (e.g. a relative or a friend) may not be legally valid.

It is NSW Health Policy that health care interpreters must be used in all health care situations where communication is essential including, admission, consent, assessment, counselling, discharge, explanation of treatment, associated risks and side effects, health education and medical research and day only surgery. Professional interpreters enable patients to ask questions about their condition, the proposed treatment or procedure and risks associated with it.

The need for an interpreter should be recorded in a prominent place on the patient's/client's medical record.

Translated brochures for patients on health care interpreters are available from the Multicultural Health Service on 02 8968 3406.