Why can’t I use my family or friends or bilingual workers to interpret for me?
Queensland Health policy is to use interpreters who are NAATI trained (either accredited or recognized by NAATI). Your family or friends or bilingual workers are not NAATI accredited or recognised interpreters.
There are significant risks in communicating through unaccredited interpreters:
• inaccuracy because you cannot be certain an unaccredited interpreter is competent in both languages
• possible withholding or distorting information because of family relationships or due to the emotional or sensitive nature of the issues at stake
• possible inadequate communication because of lack of knowledge of interpreting techniques
• staff unable to be assured that information necessary for safe and quality health care is being communicated appropriately and accurately
• confidentiality standards may not be met.
These risks can lead to:
• inappropriate health care decisions being made or decisions being made by someone other than the person receiving the health service
• incorrect use of medications or attention to treatment details.
Given this, family and friends can be used only in very limited instances where there is no on-site or telephone interpreter available. Situations where this may occur could include medical emergencies.
Family and friends may be used for simple, day-to-day communications.
Why can’t my child interpret for me?
Children are not appropriate interpreters in any circumstance. This is because of the same reasons that family and friends cannot be used as interpreters (refer above). Using children as interpreters has the additional problem of potentially upsetting the authority relationships in the family.
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© The State of Queensland (Queensland Health) 2008.