Our Approach to Providing Interpreters at Willow Grace Perinatal & Holistic Therapies
At Willow Grace Perinatal & Holistic Therapies, we are committed to ensuring all clients have access to the treatment they need, regardless of language barriers or communication challenges. We provide interpreter services for accessible care to facilitate clear and effective communication during consultations, examinations, and treatments.
What is The Purpose of an Interpreter/Translator?
We offer interpreter services for clients who:
- Do not speak English.
- Speak English as a second language.
- Use sign language.
- Have hearing or visual impairments.
- Have learning disabilities.
- Require Deaf or Deaf-Blind communication.
The interpreter will be there to support you to ensure you understand everything we discuss. They will also support your therapist to ensure they understand everything you say and can provide the highest quality treatment for you.
We also provide translations of written materials to accommodate your needs, ensuring you can fully access our services.
When and How To Request an Interpreter
If you would like an interpreter present during your treatment, that is great. It is best if you can ask for this before your appointment. Please add it as a comment when booking online or drop us an email to ask us to arrange one.
Sometimes as we work through the consultation ahead of the treatment you may decide you would like an interpreter. Equally, the therapist may decide they feel one is needed to help you get the best from the treatment and to ensure you can consent appropriately. Again this is absolutely fine and we will do our best to arrange this.
If an interpreter is required but not immediately available, we will reschedule your appointment to ensure an interpreter can be present.
Who Can Be an Interpreter?
We engage professional interpreter services from Word360 or Language Services UK Limited, both are experienced in the health sector. These interpreters are bilingual, neutral, independent, and professionally trained. While relatives or carers might wish to act as interpreters, this will only be considered in exceptional circumstances with our prior agreement.
How Will it Work if I Request an Interpreter?
Interpretation services can be provided via phone, video call, or in person, we much prefer to have an interpreter in the room. We will look to arrange a suitable interpreter ready for your appointment and may contact you ahead of the appointment to confirm arrangements.
The interpreter will be responsible for:
- Accurately interpreting all communications.
- Maintaining confidentiality.
- Helping explaining to us any cultural differences, where appropriate.
The interpreters will not:
- Give their own opinion.
- Act as chaperones we have a separate Chaperone Policy for this.
- Advocate for you or provide consent for you.
Before your appointment, our therapist and the interpreter will discuss the treatment and the interpreter’s role to ensure smooth communication once you arrive.
During the Treatment
During your appointment, our therapist will:
- Ask the interpreter to introduce themselves.
- Confirm to you that the interpreter will retain everything they hear and see as confidential.
- Directly address and maintain eye contact with you.
- Speak clearly, slowly, and in plain English, allowing the interpreter to translate manageable chunks of information.
Use of a Translator
If you would like it, any written material from us can be translated into another language or format (e.g., large text or Braille). We will use a professional translation service like Word360 or Language Services UK Limited to do this for us.
Record Keeping
We will document the interpretation support provided to you, including the interpreter’s name, in our secure online client note system. This will help us to ensure we re-use the same interpreter for follow-up appointments, if needed.
If you have any questions or need an interpreter for your upcoming appointment, please let us know.
