NHS England & NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) East of England Region have recently undertaken a procurement for a new contract to provide interpreting and translation services across the region (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Suffolk & North East Essex, Mid & South Essex, Herts & West Essex, Norfolk and Waveney and Bedford, Luton & Milton Keynes). This procurement is now complete and we are pleased to inform you that the suppliers of interpreting and translation services from 1 November 2021 will be: DA Languages for spoken languages - Award Winning Translation Agency | DA Languages Language Empire for non-spoken languages – https://www.language-empire.net/ The new contract will include provision of these services for all Primary Care contractor groups: Dentists, GPs, Optometrists and Pharmacies. However, please note that the new contract will not include Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes GP Practices, although there is a possibility that Bedfordshire & Milton Keynes GP Practices may join this contract in the new year. Details of the services to be provided include the following:
Provider
ServiceDA Languages - Spoken LanguagesNon-Spoken Languages - Language EmpireInterpreting Multi-lingual
Telephone
Spoken Video
Spoken Face to Face (Simultaneous, Consecutive and Whispering)
British Sign Language (BSL)
Irish Sign Language (ISL)
Foreign Sign Language
Deafblind Interpreters
Video Relay Interpreting Services
Cued Speech/Makaton
Deaf Relay (Intralingual language modification)
Lip speakers
Transcription
Medical records
Speech-to-text reporting (Palantypist)
Electronic and manual note takers
Translation
Written
Audio/Video recordings to written text
EasyRead
Pictorial English
Audio/Video recordings to written text
BSL (Written Text into Video)
BSL In-Vision Translations
Braille
Subtitles
EasyRead
Pictorial English
Availability of services:
SpokenNon-spokenFace to faceBetween 08:00hrs and 18:00hrs Monday to Friday of each week and on Bank Holidays and weekends. (An additional out of hours’ facility shall be made available between 18:00hrs and 08:00hrs which will include access to GP Improved Access services and Extended Hours services, and other NHS commissioned primary care services outside of core services.Between 08:00hrs and 18:00hrs Monday to Friday of each week and on Bank Holidays and weekends. An additional out of hours’ facility shall be made available between 18:00hrs and 08:00hrs which will include access to GP Improved Access services and Extended Hours services, and other NHS commissioned primary care services outside of core services.Telephone and video interpretation24 hours a day, 365 days a year24 hours a day, 365 days a year
These services are for appointments where NHS treatment is provided and should not be used for private appointments.
These services have been commissioned to support the Accessible Information Standard (2016) which aims to ensure that people who have a disability, impairment or sensory loss are provided with information that they can easily read or understand with support, to enhance communication with services.
All organisations that provide NHS care or adult social care are required to follow the Accessible Information Standard, including primary care practices. To meet the Accessible Information Standard, primary care organisations are required do five things:
· Ask people if they have any information or communication needs, and find out how to meet their needs.
· Record those needs clearly.
· Highlight or ‘flag’ the person’s file or notes so it is clear that they have information or communication needs and how those needs should be met.
· Share information about people’s information and communication needs with other providers of NHS and adult social care, when they have consent or permission to do so.
· Take steps to ensure that people receive information which they can access and understand, and receive communication support if they need it.
Both DA Languages and Language Empire are working closely with NHSE&I to ensure a smooth implementation of services which will support practices in meeting their obligations under the Accessible Information Standard from the 1 November 2021.
In order to support implementation DA Languages and Language Empire will be making contact with you to ensure you are able to book services for patients and have access to the training information available. These communications (to include instructions on how to set up your account, access services and use the booking portals) will be sent over the next few weeks, either by the providers directly or via the Primary Care Gateway. Please read all instructions carefully and should you have any queries, please contact DA Languages Ltd implementations@dalanguages.co.uk and/or Language Empire contract.management@empire-groupuk.com.
The email addresses that both DA Languages and Language Empire will use to set up your new accounts / communicate with you, will be those to which this Gateway message has been sent. If you would prefer a different email address is used, please send details (along with the name and address of your practice) as soon as possible to both:
DA Languages implementations@dalanguages.co.uk; and
Language Empire contract.management@empire-groupuk.com
Kind regards, Clint Foreman (Asst. Sec. Essex LDC)