"Lack of interpreter"

About: Craigavon Area Hospital / 3 South Craigavon Area Hospital 3 South Portadown BT63 5QQ

Posted by indusqd69 (as the patient), 3 months ago

I was in hospital in January. I had been taken in by ambulance due to rectal bleeding and I know the A & E and emergency system. I understand that they cannot always provide a sign language interpreter because it is last minute. So I was aware of this. I was put into 3 South Ward, it was a shared ward, I didn't mind that but with three other hearing patients I couldn't communicate with them as a deaf person. Also clinical staff were trying to communicate with me without an interpreter which was also very difficult.
Then my sister came to visit me, they seemed to have a very long chat with her, they gave her all the information but wouldn't book an interpreter to explain this information to me.
The nurses in the other wards also made no effort to communicate with me, it looked like they waited for a family member to arrive instead, the communication should have been directly with me.
On the Sunday I was still in the ward and even less staff came to my bed, there was a few but again none tried to communicate with me directly.
On Monday we had ward round, there was doctors and students but I don't know who was who exactly as this was not explained so i am not sure. The doctor did tried to communicate with me and went and fetched something to write on. I couldn't communicate this way, I needed an interpreter to allow a much more detailed discussion rather than the writing back and forth.
After that, I did leave the hospital feeling very unhappy with the system and it was very stressful.
This is not the first time I have attended and each time the same situation, either the translator request has not been put through or simply not provided. Either way this is not explained to me.
After going home I just feel very frustrated at the way I was treated. The doctor on the Monday did try to write back and forth but I needed a translator to have been booked to attend the ward round as the conversation would have been far to complicated to just simply write back and forth and I would not have understood.
Video of story in BSL
This is a translation by a BSL translator
https://vimeo.com/1093014882
Video of story in ISL
This is a translation by an ISL translator
https://vimeo.com/1093015606

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Responses

Chloe Turner

Deputy Sister Ward 3 South, Surgery and Clinical Services Directorate,

Southern Health and Social Care Trust

Submitted on 16/04/2025 at 02:46

Published on Care Opinion at 07:50

Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback regarding your experience.
I am so sorry your stay on 3 south was unpleasant - it is never our intention for anyone to feel misunderstood.
If you would like to send me an email - chloe.turner@southerntrust.hscni.net and we could discuss this further?
Thank you
Chloe
Video of response in BSL
This is a translation by a BSL translator
https://vimeo.com/1093015134
Video of response in ISL
This is a translation by an ISL translator
https://vimeo.com/1093015841

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Ashlene Kelly

Ward Manager 3 South CAH, Surgery and Clinical Services Directorate,

Southern Health and Social Care Trust

Submitted on 17/04/2025 at 10:23

Published on Care Opinion at 10:23

Hi
My name is Ashlene Kelly, Ward manager in 3 south.
Firstly can I thank you for taking the time to leave this feed back regarding a very poor experience. I want to apologise to you sincerely on behalf of all staff on ward, that we failed to give you the level of communication regarding your care and discharge planning, I am sure this was an extremely upsetting and anxious experience.
In 3 south we try to promote and overcome boundaries to ensure excellent communication skills and advocate for all patients to ensure safe, high quality patient care. I am so sorry this was not the experience you had. As you have stated above a sign language interrupter can be difficult to get especially over weekend. But staff should have attempted to obtain one on the Monday or the day of discharge. We did try to communicate with you using white boards and your family- but I am sorry this was not good enough scenario and we should have ensured an interrupter was available on day of discharge.
I will discuss this issue with all staff at our weekly communication meeting to ensure to over come any barriers of communication and ensure interpreters are booked or attempted to book on a daily basis if needed.
If you want to get in touch with me my email is ashlene.kelly@southerntrust.hscni.net.
I can only apologise you had this extremely poor experience, but going forward I will ensure nurse in charge always attempts to book interpreters, in all cases but especially sign language interrupters,.
I will also post on our group WhatsApp page the flow chart of booking sign language interpreter and put a poster up in office. I will attach same below. To try and improve this experience for another patient in a similar situation.

Thanks again
Ashlene Kelly
3 south
61669
Video of response in BSL
This is a translation by a BSL translator
https://vimeo.com/1093015203
Video of response in ISL
This is a translation by an ISL translator
https://vimeo.com/1093015912

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Thelma Swann

Project Lead – Online User Feedback, Partnership and Engagement,

Public Health Agency

Submitted on 09/07/2025 at 15:47

Published on Care Opinion on 10/07/2025 at 07:51

Thank you for sharing your story in sign language through Sign Video. The PHA has translated the above written response into British Sign Language and Irish Sign Language.

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