Non-English Speaking Patient Policy
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Non-English Speaking Patient Policy
Non-English Speaking Patient Policy. Clear communication in your language for safe, quality healthcare.
At 13CURE, we are sure that clear and respectful communication is the basis of safety and high-quality healthcare. Our doctors and staff are morally and professionally obliged to ensure that you understand your health information and that we understand your concerns.
We are committed to providing culturally safe communication for our patients. We acknowledge that you may be more comfortable, confident, and accurate in expressing your health in a language other than English. Additionally, we recognise that some patients have specific communication needs due to disability.
This policy explains how we ensure that language is not a barrier to your care, whether you are using our telehealth online consultations, booking an after-hours urgent care visit, or chatting with our GP clinic team.
You should have a professional interpreter who respects your privacy and confidentiality during your medical consultation. To offer this service, we use The Translating and Interpreting Service TIS National is an Australian government service.
The Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) is an Australian government service.
To ensure a comfortable experience, we have directly linked interpreter services with our booking and consultation methods.
When you call us, you can request the assistance of an interpreter. Our personnel can fix the date of a three-way call with an interpreter from TIS National to help you with appointment scheduling, symptom explanation, and detail confirmation.
You may have arranged a telehealth session and requested an interpreter, and the following steps are easy:
If we can come to your house with the doctor, we can also get an interpreter.
Fast and convenient. Doctors connect via mobile or landline with a TIS National interpreter during a doctor's home visit.In-home consultations are fast, convenient, and widely used. Doctors can connect via mobile or landline with a TIS National interpreter during a doctor's home visit.
If health topics are complex and the environment is sensitive, an in-person coordinator can assist the doctor and the patient in a real-time conversation. This depends on the availability of the local area interpreter; ordinarily, 48 hours' prior notice is required.
One way you always have available is to hire a family member or friend as a translator. However, we recommend using a free professional interpreter, especially in complex situations or when the clinical aspect is serious, and the decisions to be made are sensitive.
Think about this: the use of children (under 18 years) as interpreters is not considered appropriate. Our goal is to protect children from being placed in such difficult positions.
We want to support patients in any of these situations: deaf or hard of hearing, or with speech impairments. We are knowledgeable about alternative communication methods and various modern devices, and we are willing to use them when communicating with you.
We mainly provide this service through the National Relay Service. It is an effective medium for booking telehealth consultations.
Some bilingual and multilingual staff members might help you with simple communications. For example, if you want to make an appointment, they'll help you book it.
The languages that our staff members speak are, for example, the following:
Be informed that our personnel are ready to assist, but they may not be accredited medical interpreters. We will use the free, professional TIS National service for your medical consultation only to ensure your clinical safety.
To make your subsequent visits even easier, we will write your communication needs, preferred language, or interpreter in your confidential patient file with your approval. This will allow our team to prepare for your upcoming call.
When you phone to finalise an appointment, simply inform the person handling your call what language you need an interpreter for. Additionally, you can mention your language requirement when filling out the online booking form. You can ask for an interpreter whenever you want.
Yes. Using TIS National or the National Relay Service for your medical consultation with us is free, and we cover all the expenses.
Through TIS National, people can access an interpreter in more than 150 languages, and the service is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. The likelihood that your language will be available is very high.
Professional interpreters follow the same strict confidentiality and privacy regulations as your doctor. Therefore, your personal health information is not breached.
Request a free professional interpreter when booking your appointment
Call 13 2873Discover why 13CURE is trusted across New South Wales. Watch our video to hear directly from our patients about their experiences with our dedicated after-hours medical service. With a 99% satisfaction rate, we strive to exceed expectations in care and communication, ensuring your well-being is always our priority.
