Planned and unplanned services
Queensland Government agencies engage interpreters in a variety of service contexts. Most interpreting occurs in frontline environments, where interpreter services need to be:
- fit for purpose for the delivery setting
- easy to arrange for staff.
For the purposes of engaging language services, interpreter bookings fall into 2 broad categories.
- Planned – booked more than 24 hours in advance
- Unplanned – booked with less than 24 hours notice
The urgency of the situation often determines the available modality (onsite, phone, or video). For example, in emergencies, phone or video interpreting is more feasible than onsite.
Interpreter services also vary by duration, complexity, and setup requirements. Some service types available through the Language Services PSP require a tailored project approach, while others follow standard booking pathways.
| Service type | Sub-type | Modality options | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Unplanned (less than 24 hours’ notice) | Emergency priority connection | Phone / Video | For urgent, time-sensitive situations. Connection within 3 minutes. |
Call centre on-demand | Phone | For public-facing call centres. Interpreter connects within 5 minutes. | |
Regular on-demand | Phone / Video (usually Teams) | For unanticipated needs where an interpreter is required with no notice. Connection within 8 minutes. | |
Short notice | Onsite / Phone / Video | Booked with 2 to 24 hours notice. Direct booking with a supplier. | |
Planned (more than 24 hours’ notice) | Short booking | All modalities | One-off appointments with more than 24 hours notice. |
Sessional | All modalities | Recurring appointments or continuity of interpreter across engagements. | |
Long booking (½ day or more) | All modalities | Extended engagements – for example court, conferences or disaster recovery. |
Service types requiring project setup
Some interpreting service types, particularly emergency priority connection and call centre on-demand, require a project-based setup with the language service provider. These services are tailored to specific operational environments and may involve:
- integration with agency systems, for example telephony or frontline devices
- agency-specific privacy and cybersecurity clearances
- staff training and onboarding
- custom reporting and monitoring requirements.
These services are not available ‘off the shelf’ and should be planned in collaboration with the supplier to ensure readiness and compliance.
Regular on-demand
Depending on the nature of the call, agencies may require cybersecurity clearance if using language service provider platforms. MS Teams is available if needed.
- Phone or video
- May require agency-specific equipment and cybersecurity compliance for video platforms
Emergency priority connection
Designed with emergency services in mind, this service type is for urgent, time-sensitive situations where a lack of an immediately available interpreter may result in harm or infringe on a person’s rights.
- Connection within 3 minutes
- Available 24/7
- Requires experienced interpreters
- Phone or video only
- May require agency-specific equipment and cybersecurity compliance
Call centre on-demand
For information or support lines.
- Interpreter connection within 5 minutes
- Supports client-initiated calls
- May include triage or linkage to professionals
- Requires integration with telephony systems