Patients across Ealing are set to benefit from a new mobile translation service designed to break down language barriers during treatment.
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH), which runs Ealing Hospital in Ealing, Central Middlesex Hospital in Park Royal and Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, has introduced one hundred new iPad trolleys across the Trust. The £125,000 initiative, funded by LNWH Charity, aims to make translation faster and more accessible for both staff and patients.
The most frequently requested languages across the hospitals include Romanian, Gujarati and Arabic.
The new system enables clinical teams to use an interactive app that can translate up to 50 languages instantly on screen or connect to a live video interpreter within minutes. It replaces slower, more expensive traditional interpreting services and already supports around 40,000 patients a year.
Abdi Yussuf, the Trust’s language and interpreting lead, said the technology reflects the needs of “one of the most diverse communities in the UK. This evolution in technology makes it easier for staff and patients regardless of language barriers.”
