A scheduled telephone interpreting booking is when a customer requests the services of an interpreter via telephone due to a language barrier. The customer will schedule a date and time for which an interpreter must be present in order to communicate with the non-English speaker.  Bookings may be received on the day or with more than 24 hours’ notice. 

Individuals are connected through a telephone. It is needed when one of the parties involved in the communication process does not speak the same language as the other parties. The phone interpreter listens to the speaker and renders what he/she/ they said into the language that the other party understands.  Telephone interpretation can be carried out by only using a telephone or a computer with VoIP (voice-over-Internet protocol) capability.  

Telephone bookings are completed in the comfort of the interpreter’s home, and they are not required to travel to a venue. Telephone bookings are on the rise, especially after the pandemic and many of our customers now resort to this type of interpreting. 

 

Equipment and location for Telephone Interpreting 

* Landline and / or smart mobile phone.

* High quality headset.

* You must be in a quiet location at home to ensure there is no background noise when conducting the booking.

* You must have strong network connection to avoid any disturbances during the call.

* You must not be driving whilst on the call.

* You must not have children or pets around when on the call.

* Ensure your mobile phone is fully charged before accepting the call.

* Save the number 0330 053 2651 (STEL Interpreting) on your mobile for easier and quicker dial up. 

 

How to join the Telephone Conference? 

1. You must dial into the conference 5 minutes prior to the start time by calling 0330 053 2651.

2. You must then press option 1 and enter the 6-digit pin number which you will find on the email confirmation and Linguist Hub Portal.

3. You must NOT wait for the SMS which informs you that the professional has joined the call. You must join the conference prior to receiving this SMS.

4. If the professional does not join the conference, you must remain in the conference until the call automatically disconnects after 15 minutes of the start time.

5. Payment cannot be made if you leave the conference mid-way.

6. If the call disconnects whilst you are interpreting, you must dial back in immediately using the same pin number.

7. If you are unable to complete the booking, you must call the Remote Bookings Team immediately on 0330 20 21 034.

 

During the session 

* Introduce yourself to the professional by the first name only and provide your LE ID number for example: Hello, my name is (first name) and my LE ID is (00000). I am the (Arabic) interpreter for today’s session.

* Ensure you conduct your session in a private place to maintain the confidentiality of the information discussed.

* The professional may provide you a brief update prior to the non-English speaker joining the conference should there be any relevant background information that needs to be taken into consideration during the session.

* Never have any side conversation with the service user.

* Ensure that everyone present hears your introduction with the code of practice and they understand that you will interpret everything that is said by all the parties present, known as the Linguistic Model of Interpreting using the first person “I”

* If you see taking notes is useful during the assignment, you can do that, but remember to destroy the notes properly as you deal with sensitive information.

* Remember that we all have both a legal and a moral duty to protect children and vulnerable adults and if you hear a conversation which sounds as if it may indicate that vulnerable people are at risk of abuse, you should report it to the professional and to Language Empire Management as soon as you are able to in confidence.  

* If it is not appropriate to talk freely to the professional regarding other matters during the session, ask them to give you a few minutes to talk after the session has concluded.

* Ensure that you are polite and patient as telephone bookings may take longer than F2F bookings.

* You must not eat whilst you are on the phone.

* You must be fully present during the call and must not engage in any other conversation around you.

 

After the session 

* Once the session has been completed, you are to ensure that both the professional and service user do not require any further interpreting aid from yourself.

* If the professional would like to use your interpreting service in the future, you may provide them with your LE ID to request you accordingly through LE.

* You must fill your job sheet with the accurate start and finish time. These times will be verified with the customer and our system to ensure accuracy.

* Job sheets must be uploaded within 48 hours of completing the booking.

* A signature from the professional is not required.

 

PLEASE NOTE: All calls are logged on our system, therefore where you fail to join a conference or leave a conference mid-way without a valid reason, payment cannot be made and a penalty charge may apply.

 

This Policy applies to all staff at Language Empire, both employed and freelance.

Review of Policy: This document will be reviewed every two years or sooner, in the event of national updates.

1.0    Policy Statement

 

This Mental Capacity Act (MCA) policy is based on the principles of the MCA (2005). The MCA provides a statutory framework for people who lack capacity to make decisions, or who have capacity and want to make preparations for a time when they may lack capacity in the future. This policy is for information giving purposes only and not to advise any staff, employed or otherwise, to assess the capacity of individuals, nor make any decisions on their behalf. Interpreters must not make any assessments of a person’s mental capacity under any circumstances, however there does need to be an understanding of this policy and the Act itself.

 

1.1    Background

 

The MCA was introduced into England and Wales in April 2007 and applies to all professionals involved in providing health and social care, including doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and care staff. This is supported by a Code of Practice 2007 which gives guidance on its implementation and has statutory force and can be found here.

 

The Act states that it should be assumed that an adult (aged 16 or over) has full legal capacity to make decisions for themselves (the right to autonomy) unless it can be shown that they lack capacity to make a decision for themselves at the time the decision needs to be made. This is known as the presumption of capacity. The Act also states that people must be given all appropriate help and support to enable them to make their own decisions or to maximise their participation in any decision-making process.

 

 

The Act outlines:

 

• Who can make decisions for people who lack capacity

• In which situations this can be done

• How they should go about this

 

1.2    Scope

 

The aim of this policy is to ensure that throughout the work of Language Empire we will promote the welfare of adults by ensuring that all staff are aware of the principles of the MCA. We aim to do this by informing all staff of the MCA upon induction and refresher training is provided every two years as a minimum.

Language Empire is committed to implementing this policy and the practices it sets out. We offer learning opportunities and make provision for appropriate MCA training to all staff and will also ensure the MCA Code of Practice is available to all staff at all times. This policy will be made widely accessible to staff online, both for employed staff on our internal HR system and for freelance linguists on the Linguist Hub portal.  

The Linguist Hub has a dedicated section on MCA where there is access to learning resources, which can be referred back to at any time.  

1.3    Breaches of policy

For employees, failure to adhere to the MCA Policy could lead to dismissal or constitute gross misconduct. For freelancers, their registration with Language Empire may be terminated.

1.4   Principles

Language Empire recognises the responsibility of professionals to ensure adherence to the MCA. The Act is intended to assist and support people who may lack capacity and to discourage anyone who is involved in caring for someone who lacks capacity from being overly restrictive or controlling. The Act also aims to balance an individual’s right to make decisions for themselves with their right to be protected from harm if they lack capacity to make decisions to protect themselves.

Joint working and effective collaboration is essential to promote the rights and freedom of individuals.

 

2.0   The five statutory principles of the MCA

 

1.    A person must be assumed to have capacity unless it is established that they lack capacity by a clinical professional

 

2.    A person is not to be treated as unable to make a decision unless all measures have been taken to help them to do so have been taken without success

 

3. A person is not to be treated as unable to make a decision merely due to making unwise decisions

 

4.    An action or decision made by the professional under the Act for or on behalf of a person who lacks capacity must be made in the person’s best interests

 

5. Before the decision is made, regard must be held as to whether the purpose for which it is needed can be as effectively achieved in a way that it is the least restrictive of the person’s basic rights and freedom.

 

2.1    What is mental capacity?

Having mental capacity means that a person is able to make their own decisions by understanding information given. The professional should always start from the assumption that the person has the capacity to make the decision in question.

Professionals must also be able to show that they have made every effort to encourage and support the person to make the decision themselves.

Everyone must also remember that if a person makes a decision which is considered eccentric or unwise, this does not necessarily mean that the person lacks the capacity to make the decision.

2.2    When should capacity be assessed?

Capacity is decision and time specific, assessing capacity refers to assessing a person’s ability to make a particular decision at a particular moment in time, rather than being an overarching judgement about an individual’s ability to make decisions in general. Staff cannot decide that someone lacks capacity based upon age, appearance, condition or behavior alone.

 

The MCA 2005 defines lack of capacity as:

 

A person lacks capacity in relation to a matter if, at the material time, he is unable to make a decision for himself in relation to the matter because of an impairment of, or a disturbance in the functioning of, the mind or brain. 

 

The Act assumes that a person has capacity until it is proven otherwise.

Capacity should be assessed when a person’s mental capacity to consent to their treatment or care is in doubt. Capacity may be called into question for a number of reasons including:

·        An individual’s behavior or circumstances

·        Where concern about capacity has been raised by someone

·        Where a person has been previously diagnosed with an impairment or disturbance that affects the way their mind or brain works

·        A previous mental capacity assessment has shown lack of capacity to make a decision

2.3    Consent and Capacity

Professionals must have reasonable belief that the individual lacks mental capacity to have legal protection under the MCA 2005 for making decisions on a person’s behalf. To have reasonable belief, they must take certain steps to establish that the person lacks mental capacity to make a decision or consent to an act at the time that the decision or consent is needed.

They must establish and be able to show that the decision or act is in the person’s best interests. A mental capacity assessment must be completed and helps demonstrate that on a balance of probabilities it is more likely than not that the person lacks capacity. This be recorded in the professional’s notes why they have come to the conclusion that capacity is either present or lacking for the particular decision.

Lone working may be defined as any situation or location in which someone works without a colleague nearby; or when someone is working out of sight or earshot of another colleague.

This could be: 

* In a part of the building out of earshot from colleagues

* In a part of the Language Empire site that is not visible to other staff

* Travelling between places of work

* Working late in the Language Empire office/or off site

* Escorting a client.

Language Empire aims to: 

* Reduce the number of incidents and injuries to staff related to lone working

* Increase awareness of safety issues relating to lone working

* Make sure that the risk of working alone is assessed

* Reduce the risk so far as is reasonably practicable

* Make sure that training and advice is available to staff

* Encourage full reporting of incidents and near misses relating to lone working.

All Language Empire staff should: 

* Avoid lone working where possible

* Be informed about the risks associated with lone working

* Be familiar with the risk assessment for any lone working they may undertake

* Be informed about ways to mitigate the risks of lone working

* Report incidents or near-misses associated with lone working.

Line managers will undertake risk assessments and implement action plans to reduce risks. The Language Empire HR department will advise line managers on undertaking risk assessments and monitor the implementation of action plans following risk assessments and incidents.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all employees of Language Empire. It also applies to all those working for or on behalf of Language Empire such as freelancers, contractors, subcontractors, consultants and volunteers. The policy applies to all areas of service delivery.

3. Related Policies and Associated Arrangements

This policy is to be implemented in conjunction with consideration of other relevant company policies and information such as: 

* Health and Safety Policy

* Lone Working Procedure

* Dealing with Violence and Aggression Procedure

* NHS Security Management Measures 2004 (revised 2006)

* Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

* Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

* Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007

* Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977

* The Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996

* Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

* The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR)

* Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002

4. Legal Context

Language Empire is delivering its responsibilities under the following legislation: a) Security Management Measures 2004 (revised 2006) and Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, Language Empire has a legal duty to ensure, so far as is reasonable and practicable, the health and safety of our staff. All staff have a duty to ensure their own safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions. b) The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 The Regulations require employers to assess health and safety risks to employees and non-employees and make arrangements for their control, monitoring and review. c) Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 and The Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996 Language Empire are committed to informing and consulting with staff in good time on matters relating to their health and safety. d) The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 Under the Act an organisation (rather than any individual) can be prosecuted and face an unlimited fine, particularly if an organisation is in gross breach of health and safety standards and the duty of care owed to the deceased.

5. Responsibility for Implementation & Communication of the Policy

Language Empire’s Health and Safety Officer has a legal duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all staff working for the organisation, including the protection of lone workers. The HSO will be responsible for ensuring that: 

* There are arrangements in place for identifying, evaluating and managing risk associated with lone working

* There are resources for putting the policy into practice

* There are arrangements for monitoring incidents linked to lone working throughout the organisation

* The above are devolved through appropriate line management

* That appropriate security management provisions are made within the organisation to protect lone working staff

* That measures to protect lone workers comply with all relevant health and safety legislation by gaining assurance that policies, procedures and systems to protect lone workers are implemented.

They will also be responsible for: 

* Raising the profile of security management work at board level and getting their support and backing for important security management strategies and initiatives

* Overseeing the effectiveness of risk reporting, assessment and management processes for the protection of lone workers

* Ensuring that Language Empire has up-to-date policies and procedures for the safety of lone workers and (in liaison with line managers), ensuring that they are disseminated to all staff who may undertake lone working

* Advising Language Empire on systems, processes and procedures to improve the personal safety of lone workers, and making sure that proper preventative measures are in place.

* Advising Language Empire on appropriate and proportionate physical security, technology and support systems that improve the personal safety of lone workers

* Supporting line managers in undertaking lone working risk assessments

* Keeping copies of all lone worker risk assessments and helping line managers ensure that action plans are completed.

Following an incident involving a lone worker the HSO will: 

* Carry out a full investigation and, where necessary, liaise with the police to allow follow up action to be taken

* Conduct a full post-incident review to see what lessons can be learnt

* Work with line managers to ensure that appropriate measures are implemented before staff enter a lone working situation.

It will be the responsibility of each line manager to: 

* Identify all staff who are lone workers

* Explain that staff should never put themselves or their colleagues at risk and if they feel at risk they should withdraw immediately and seek further advice or assistance

* Ensure that all relevant policies and procedures are disseminated to lone working staff

* Ensure that lone workers are provided with sufficient information, training, instruction and supervision before entering a lone worker situation

* Ensure that a risk assessment is conducted (in consultation with their staff), to identify all risks from lone working and introduce control measures to minimise or mitigate the risks

* Ensure that control measures are put into place and safe systems of work are developed, and that these are assessed for effectiveness and updated if necessary

* Ensure that all the relevant staff undertake regular reviews of hazards and associated risks to make sure that all measures are effective and continue to meet the requirements of the lone worker

* Ensure that, where a security incident has occurred, the employee reports this on the incident reporting system

* Ensure that, following an incident, a risk assessment is carried out or reviewed as soon as possible and immediate control measures are put in place, prior to a formalised review of lessons learnt following the incident.

Lone working staff have a responsibility to do all they can to ensure their own safety and that of their colleagues. They will: 

* Undertake relevant training, such as conflict resolution and device specific training, before entering a lone worker situation

* Seek advice from their line manager, action guidance, procedures and instruction to avoid putting themselves or their colleagues at risk

* Plan prior to a visit and undertake dynamic risk assessments during a visit

* Use equipment and technology which has been provided for their personal safety in the way in which it was intended, and attend training on its correct use.

* Report all incidents and near-misses to their line manager and via Language Empire’s incident reporting system.

6. Review

This policy will be reviewed every two years as a minimum and/or in line with legislative changes.

What is Mental Health?

According to the World Health Organisation, mental health ‘is a state of wellbeing in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her own community’.

Mental Wellbeing and Signs of Stress

The way you are feeling and how you cope with everyday life is your mental state. As this is always changing, it is extremely important to recognise the emotional, behavioural and physical signs of stress that could lead to a breakdown of our mental state. The summary table below has been created using the information from Mind as a summary for the different signs of stress.

* 

Emotional Behavioural Physical

• Irritable, aggressive, impatient, or wound up • Finding it hard to make decisions • Shallow breathing or hyperventilating

• Over-burdened • Constantly worrying • You might have a panic attack

• Anxious, nervous or afraid • Avoiding situations that are troubling you • Muscle tension

• Your thoughts are racing and you can’t switch off • Snapping at people • Blurred eyesight or sore eyes

• Unable to enjoy yourself • Biting your nails • Problems getting to sleep, staying asleep or having nightmares

• Depressed • Picking at your skin • Sexual problems, such as losing interest in sex or being unable to enjoy sex

• Uninterested in life • Unable to concentrate • Tired all the time

• You’ve lost your sense of humour • Eating too much or too little • Grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw

• A sense of dread • Smoking or drinking alcohol more than usual • Headaches

• Worried about your health • Restless, as if you can’t sit still • Chest pains

• Neglected or lonely • Being tearful or crying. • High blood pressure

• Indigestion or heartburn

• Constipation or diarrhoea

• Feeling sick or dizzy / fainting

Causes of Stress

Created using information from Mind

Managing Stress

As well as in your everyday life, during interpreting you may have had to deal with stressful and challenging appointments such as emergencies or breaking bad news. If you have noticed any of the signs above, it is important to know how to address this.

In some situations, stress cannot be prevented. However there are good ways to manage it better. Here are some things you can try:

* Share your problems and speak to a family member, friend, or approach your GP

* Dedicate some time for your hobbies and interests

* Take some time-out from your everyday routine for a break or a holiday

* Exercise and eat healthily

* Ensure that you get enough quality sleep

 

The NHS have a great section on how to tackle stress.  This includes:

* 10 Simple Stress Busters

* Time management techniques

* Mindfulness

* Breathing exercises

* Helpful apps to download

* Audios

Mental Health Act 1983

This is a legislation in England and Wales that covers the assessment, treatment, and the rights of people with a mental health disorder.

Your Responsibility

* As an interpreter, it is your responsibility to treat everyone as equal and with respect, regardless of their age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religious or political beliefs.

* You need to be aware of your own safety and wellbeing in any given environment.

* If you need to report any safety issues, you should ensure that you inform the relevant professional as soon as possible.

Challenges you may face

Interpreting within a mental health setting can be extremely challenging.

* To help you prepare for the assignment, ensure you arrive early to assignment and ask the professional to brief you about the session.

* You will also need to establish any ground rules in relation to the patient such as communication strategies.

* Seating arrangements should also be decided in advance. You should ensure that you have a clear exit from where you sit.

* Ensure you are never left alone with the service user.

* At the end of the assignment, ensure that the service user and the professional have tied things up and ask whether any further appointments need to be arranged.

 

Other challenges you may face include:

* Trouble listening due to noisy environment. In these situations, try your best to focus. Do not be afraid to ask the service user or professional to repeat what they said. However, try to keep this to a minimum as it will affect the flow of the session.

* Difficulties understanding patients’ expressions/ any speech impediments. Ensure you inform the professional that you are having difficulties understanding the patient. They know it can be challenging but try to interpret as best as you can.

* Personal beliefs/ experiences making it difficult to interpret. You must remain impartial at all times.

* Being overwhelmed due to the nature of the assignment. If you are unable to continue due to the nature of the assignment, inform the professional straight away and let them know that you are unable to do any further interpreting.

Challenges After an Assignment, Solutions and Self-care

* De-brief with the professional to bring the appointment to an end.

* If you need support of any kind, find someone to speak to without breaking the confidentiality of the assignment. For example, you could speak to someone in the Linguist Relations Department or to Quality Control co-ordinators.

Techniques to reducing stress

* Good night’s sleep

* Physical activity

* Mindfulness

* Talking and connecting with other people

* Having some ‘me time’

* Maintaining a positive outlook

* Making time for your hobbies

Contacts for Mental Health Support Services

Samaritans

Telephone: 116 123 (24 hours a day)

Email: jo@samaritans.org

Website: www.samaritans.org

 

Mind

Telephone: 0300 123 3393 (9 am -6pm Monday to Friday)

Email: info@mind.org.uk

Website: http://www.mind.org.uk

 

Saneline

Telephone: 0300 304 7000 (4:30pm-10:30pm)

Website: http://www.sane.org.uk/what_we_do/support/helpline

 

Rethink Mental Illness

Telephone: 0300 500 0927 (10 am -2 pm Monday to Friday)

Email: info@rethink.org

Website: https://www.rethink.org/

 

Young Minds

Telephone: 0207 089 5050

Email: ymenqueries@youngminds.org.uk

Website: https://youngminds.org.uk/

Contacts for urgent support

* Call 999

* Go to your nearest Accident and Emergency department (A&E)

Contacts for non-urgent support

* Book an appointment with your GP

* Call NHS direct on 111

Further reading

It is sometimes inevitable due to human nature to become involved in what others around us are feeling or going through.

This is especially difficult for interpreters as they have to interpret in the first person and convey the feelings and emotions of the non-English speaker as if they were their own. The publications below will give you further information on dealing with work-related stress:

Translation Journal’s article Emotional and Psychological Effects on Interpreters in Public Services:

https://translationjournal.net/journal/33ips.htm

 

The International Journal of Translation and Interpreting Research: The impact of emotional and psychological factors on public service interpreters:

http://www.trans-int.org/index.php/transint/article/viewFile/386/218

 

Research paper by Ingrid Kurz at the University of Vienna: PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS DURING SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETING: A COMPARISON OF EXPERTS AND NOVICES:

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/41171608.pdf

 

Research paper by Mailee Lor at St. Catherine University: Effects of Client Trauma on Interpreters: An Exploratory Study of Vicarious Trauma:

https://sophia.stkate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1053&context=msw_papers

 

Tax Debt and Mental Health

https://www.riftrefunds.co.uk/tax-refunds/uk-tax-refund-advice/tax-debt-and-mental-health

References

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/stress/signs-of-stress/#.XQdny7xKiUk

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/understanding-stress/#symptoms-of-stress

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/understanding-stress/#how-to-tackle-stress

Causes of stress/ image created https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/stress/causes-of-stress/#.XQd-krxKiUk

Mental health disorder https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/mental-health-services/mental-health-act/

You will have to make sure that any patient who is a minor fully understands the procedure and all available options. You will also need to support the professional if you think that what is being translated is not completely understood by a patient.

 

What is Gillick Competence?

Gillick competence is the principle that is used to judge capacity in children to consent to medical treatment. It is named after the case of Gillick v West Norfolk & Wisbech Area Health Authority which established that where a person under the age of 16 has reached sufficient maturity to understand the nature and consequences of a proposed medical intervention, and it is in their best interests to do so, then they can provide a valid legal consent on their own behalf.

This consent is only valid when given voluntarily and not under undue influence or pressure. Additionally, a child may have the capacity to consent to some treatments but not to others. The understanding required for different interventions will vary, and capacity to give consent can also fluctuate due to certain mental health conditions. Gillick competence is not status-based but is instead functional.

Therefore, each individual decision point relating to the healthcare intervention in question requires an assessment of Gillick competence.

Where a person under the age of 16 is not Gillick competent and therefore is deemed to lack the capacity to consent to a medical procedure or treatment, this consent can be given on their behalf by someone with parental (or legal) responsibility or by the court. However, there is still a duty to keep the child’s best interests at the centre of any decision, and the child or young person should be involved in the decision-making process as much as possible.

 

What are Fraser guidelines?

The Fraser guidelines relate only to contraception and sexual health. They are named after one of the Lords responsible for the Gillick judgement.

The House of Lords concluded that advice can be given to the child in this situation as long as:

1.     She/he/they have sufficient maturity and intelligence to understand the nature and implications of the proposed treatment

2.     She/he/they cannot be persuaded to tell the patient’s parents or to allow the doctor to tell them

3.     She/he/they is/are very likely to begin or continue having sexual intercourse with or without contraceptive treatment

4.     Her/his/their physical or mental health is likely to suffer unless she/he/they received the advice or treatment

5.     The advice or treatment is in the young person’s best interests.

Health professionals should still encourage the young person to inform her/his/their parent(s) or get permission to do so on their behalf, but if this permission is not given they can still give the child advice and treatment. If the conditions are not all met, however, or if there is reason to believe that the child is under pressure to give consent or is being exploited, there would be grounds to break confidentiality.

Fraser guidelines originally just related to contraceptive advice and treatment but, following a case in 2006, they now also apply to decisions about treatment for sexually transmitted diseases as well as about termination of pregnancy.

 

Under 16: safeguarding considerations

If a young person under the age of 16 presents to a health care professional, then discloses a history raising safeguarding concerns:

·         If they are not deemed to be Gillick competent, the health professional is obliged to raise the issue as a safeguarding concern and escalate their concerns through the safeguarding process

·         If they are deemed to be Gillick competent and disclosure is considered essential to protect them from harm or to be in the public interest, the health professional should escalate their concerns through the safeguarding processes

·         In both cases, the health professional should inform the young person of this action, unless doing so could pose significant additional risk for the young person’s safe care.

 

 

Implications for child protection

It is reasonable for the local authority or police to decide whether it is appropriate to inform the parents of the concerns raised. In some circumstances this may not be in the best interest of the young person.

Adults working or volunteering with children in any context need to consider how to balance children’s rights and wishes with their responsibility to keep children safe from harm. Key issues to bear in mind include:

• The child’s safety is paramount. Child protection concerns must always be shared with the relevant agencies, even if this goes against the child’s wishes.

• Underage sexual activity is a possible indicator of child sexual exploitation and children who have been groomed may not realise they are being abused.

• Sexual activity with a child under 13 is a criminal offence and should always result in a child protection referral.

The address for the home visit will not be provided to you on the job sheet. This will instead be sent to you via text message or passed on to you via email so that no confidential information is lost in the process. If you do not receive this address, please make sure to contact Language Empire as soon as possible. Additionally, if you are struggling to find the venue, please call Language Empire and we will be able to search for it on our system and guide you.

Please note: in all cases the interpreter is required to wait a minimum of 30 minutes for the professional to arrive.

1.          When accepting an appointment for a home visit, be sure you have the correct address spelt to you, and if possible, the postcode.

2.          Unless you are sure that you know where the venue is located, check your up-to-date map when you first receive the appointment and call the office back immediately if you cannot find it.   There are many new housing estates in our catchment areas.

3.          We suggest that you do a practice run of the travel route beforehand, as home visits are usually more difficult to locate than public clinical venues.

4.          Make sure that you do leave in plenty of time to travel to the venue, as this allows you to rectify any unexpected delays that you may encounter on your way, such as bad traffic, roadworks or difficulty finding parking.

5.          When you arrive at the address, make sure it is safe to wait outside the house at an appropriate distance until the time of the appointment.  If it is not safe, wait at the end of the street and phone the office. Please ensure that you are still able to see the professional arriving at the property.

6.          If the professional named on the job sheet has not approached the house by the time of the appointment, contact Language Empire and continue to wait until instructed otherwise or the professional arrives.

7.          Do not knock on the door of the property, even if you are unsure as to whether the professional is inside. If the professional is already inside then they will most likely contact Language Empire asking for the whereabouts of the interpreter. When we receive such a call, we will then contact you to update you. After this you will be authorised to knock and enter the premises, whilst you are still on the phone to Language Empire.  If the professional does not contact Language Empire, you should wait outside for at least 30 minutes after the start time of the booking.

8.          You may only go inside the property if the professional comes to the door and escorts you inside, so that you enter together. You must politely decline to enter the home of the non-English speaker if they invite you in, as this is for your own safety and to protect you.

9.          Please ensure that you have means to contact Language Empire if there is an issue with the home visit. This includes taking a fully charged phone with you that should be switched off upon commencement of the appointment.

10.        If you are going to be late to a home visit, the procedure is the same as a usual face-to-face appointment. You should call Language Empire and inform the bookings team that you are running late as soon as possible and give an estimated arrival time. Language Empire will then contact the professional to make them aware of the situation and request information on whether the delay is acceptable and if you should continue to make your way to the assignment.

11.        You should always wear your ID badge when attending an appointment, regardless of whether it is a home visit or not. This is a requirement when attending all bookings, as it allows you to be easily identifiable by all parties involved and provides proof that you are the interpreter who has been selected and assigned by Language Empire.

Please note, in the event of a unannounced home visit, you must ensure that your presence is not known to the occupants of the home inside, even if you are unsure if the professional is already inside. You must contact Language Empire upon arrival if there are not professionals waiting for you at the agreed location and Language Empire will advise on what to do next.

 

1.          It is the professional’s responsibility to control the session and to ensure that the non-English speaker is free to talk at their own pace.  This may involve the professional asking friends or relatives to give the patient privacy or informing other people present not to answer on behalf of the patient.

2.          Ensure that everyone present hears your introduction with the code of practice and they understand that you will interpret everything that is said by all the parties present, known as the Linguistic Model of Interpreting.

3.          Remember that we all have both a legal and a moral duty to protect children and vulnerable adults and if you hear a conversation which sounds as if it may indicate that vulnerable people are at risk of abuse, you should report it to the professional and to Language Empire Management as soon as you are able to in confidence.  

4.          If it is not appropriate to talk freely to the professional regarding other matters during the session, ask them to give you a few minutes to talk after the session has concluded, outside of the property.

5.          When you enter any location to work, check the exits and agree with the professional on how you would need to leave quickly in an emergency.   It is good practice to seat yourself so that your exits are not blocked if the non-English speaker becomes annoyed or agitated.

6.          Do not allow yourself to be left alone in the home of the non-English speaker. If the professional leaves the room or the premises, you should go with them,  as this is for your own safety and your actions during this situation should comply with Language Empire’s Lone Working policy.

7.          If ancillary conversations outside of the room are irrelevant to the session, you may politely inform the professional of the topic, i.e ‘they are talking about the local housing price increases’

8.          However, if the conversation outside of the room is pertinent to the service user, any children in the house or the professionals present, you should interpret what is said to the professionals and let them make the decision on whether to take action/ignore the information.

 

·        You must always leave the property at the same time as the professional.

·        Do not invite yourself back into the property under any circumstances after leaving with the professional. If you have left or forgotten something at the venue, inform the professional if they are still with you at the time or contact Language Empire immediately if the clinician is no longer there. Do not go back to the property without prior authorisation and presence of the professional.

 

Examples:

•           You are redirected  to a home visit from another booking eg. clinic/GP Practice.

•           You are asked to go to a second house after your first appointment is completed

•           The patient is admitted urgently to hospital.  Remember that if you are available to go to the hospital, a new appointment is required to ensure that Language Empire can pay yourself accurately for your time. Always contact Language Empire before agreeing to conduct a new booking outside of your agreed booking schedule.

 

2.          If the professional does not turn up, contact Language Empire at the start time of the session to advise of the situation. If we are unable to contact the professional directly, you should wait for the duration of the appointment. If it comes to the end of the duration and the professional has still not arrived, contact Language Empire before you leave to update the team.

3.          If you are unsuccessful in reaching a member of the Out Of Hours service, you must wait for the full duration of the appointment time and then leave. However, you must always attempt to contact Language Empire before leaving the property, even if you were unable to reach a member of staff when you arrived.   

4.          Home visits should only be accepted for out of office hours times if they are arranged in advance by Language Empire’s booking office. Language Empire will have the contact details of the booking requestor, so we can contact them for out of office appointments if there are any issues.

 

2.          If you are aware that the client cannot be present at this property because you have recently interpreted for them e.g. as an inpatient in the hospital, or at their new home, it is appropriate to inform Language Empire before the appointment time and ask them to contact the professional, informing them of the situation.

3.          However, if the information regarding the client’s whereabouts is derived from an unofficial source, you should still attend the appointment and, if appropriate, interpret any information from the occupants of the house which could help the professional locate the non-English speaker.

 

•        Do not touch the service users without clear professional intent nor make assumptions on the cultural habits/acceptances of the people present. For example, it is polite and acceptable to shake hands with them in greeting, but refrain from overly friendly touching, which is inappropriate in a professional setting eg. Hugging. This applies for children and other people present at the session (including friends/family).

•        If the patient has a baby or a child, do not become friendly with the child (i.e. do not handle the baby or being friendly/playful towards the children). Be professional but approachable

•        Before entering the house you should ask if the people present would like you to take off your shoes

·        When attending a home visit do not wander around the patient’s home or invite yourself into other rooms without the professional

•    Do not ask to be shown around or given a tour.

·        Do not comment on the home environment

·        You should wait to be invited to do so before taking a seat

•    Do not eat/drink from the patients house, unless absolutely necessary

•        Be aware of the Lone Working Policy, the Infectious Disease Policy & Language Empire’s Code of Conduct.

·        Do not complete any work/interpreting duties for the non-English speaker outside of the session without the professional present eg. Do not make phone calls on their behalf, or escort them to a car/taxi etc.