GPs urged to adopt online sign language translation

Tags: BT EMIS GP GPs SignHealth

20 Apr 2009

A UK charity is urging GP practices to adopt a web-based sign language translation service which is currently available free of charge.

The online sign language translation service won the BT E-Health Insider Award for product innovation in 2008.

Sign Health, a charity focused on the needs of the deaf community, says it has been prompted to write to some GP practices on behalf of deaf patients after Deaf Day 2009, the UK’s largest event for the deaf community.

Deaf people at the event who wanted to use their service gave their surgery details to the charity which has now written to them on the patients’ behalf.

SignTranslate will translate more than 300 medical questions into British Sign Language (BSL) using short video clips and has been made available free of charge to practices until 31 July 2009 via the SignTranslate website.

Practices using the GP IT system EMIS can access the program via an embedded link from the EMIS desktop.

Phil Murden, managing director of SignTranslate, told EHI primary Care that the strong likelihood was that SignHealth would go on funding the software after 31 July.

He added: “The charity is about improving access to health care services for deaf people and its absolutely critical that you are able to communicate with your GP.”

For more complex consultation SignTranslate also enables access to fully-qualified BSL interpreters via a web-cam. The program also makes spoken and written translations into 12 foreign languages.

Dr Joe McGilligan, Chair of ESyDoc LLP consortium for East Surrey, said Sign Translate had been installed in every practice in east Surrey.

He added: “SignTranslate is a great thing for every GP to have. It's so much better to be able to see a patient straightaway rather than having to wait until you can get an interpreter. The software's very easy to use and also helps us work with other patients by translating into other languages as well as BSL.”

Steve Powell, SignHealth chief executive, said: “We urge GPs to visit www.signtranslate.com and contact us to find out how they can implement this free service.”

Link

Sign Translate

Reader's Comments

Fantastic Idea

james.morgan@gp-w97008.wales.nhs.uk

23 Apr 09 08:04

It is a fantastic idea and an excellent use of technology but one thing to consinder is the internet connection speed of users and the fact it is only free to GP's in England.

The internet connection in Wales is not great even after the PSBA was installed, opening e-health-insider can sometimes takes a while. Wouldnt it be a good idea if surgeries could purchase a CD which had the questions and videos on it and they could install it onto the clinical server and access it through the clinical server by all in the surgery. Those that purchased the CD would have to request a license from Sign Translate every year else they wouldnt be able to access the standalone system. I think it would be a good idea to include common questions for receptionists, "Which Doctor would you like to see, what day and what time" a list of the doctors names appear and also a calender.