Health Care Interpreter Service
Bookings with SWAHS HCIS
SWAHS HCIS is exclusively available for clients from SWAHS, the Children’s Hospital at Westmead, a number of non-government organisations as well as some external agencies. Please refer to full list of our Clients . You are not eligible to use our Health Care Interpreters if your service is not listed under Clients.
Booking an Interpreter
It is advisable to give the SWAHS Health Care Interpreter Service as much notice as possible, due to high demand for Health Care Interpreters. However, we do our best to accommodate all requests for interpreting services.
Tell the Customer Service Officer if your appointment is urgent and explain the nature of the emergency.
- All non urgent requests can be forwarded via email hcis@wsahs.nsw.gov.au or fax 9840 3789
- When you book the interpreter, be as exact as possible about the language and the dialect. Many countries have more than one official language, and many immigrants in Australia have more than one non-English language. To check which language(s) are spoken in a particular country see http://www.ethnologue.com/country_index.asp. For a full list of over 120 languages that SWAHS HCIS provides see Languages
- Be as specific as possible, e.g.:
- “Bengali” or “Hindi” or “Punjabi” or “Tamil” or “Urdu” NOT “Indian”
- "Spanish" or "Portuguese" NOT "South American"
- Give your name, position, and contact numbers.
- Give the exact location of where the interview will be held and the time preferred.
- Be prepared to negotiate the time and date.
- Ensure that you book the interpreter at the right time, and that the duration is realistic - including time for briefing and debriefing if this is relevant. (Remember it will take a little longer when you are working with an interpreter).
- If you need an hour, don't accept a half hour appointment and expect the interpreter to stay once they are with you. Negotiate to a day or time when you can book the full hour that you need.
- Try to co-ordinate as many health care providers as may be needed to give or obtain information from the patient/client. Allow sufficient time for them all. Check with SWAHS HCIS before confirming the appointment.
- State any special requirements - for example a male or female interpreter, etc.
- To arrange an In-Service training session, contact the Call Centre Supervisor or Professional Development Co-ordinator.
- If you experience difficulties in arranging bookings, ask to speak to the SWAHS HCIS Call Centre Supervisor.
- If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of SWAHS HCIS services, do not hesitate to contact us. Please refer to Quality Assurance
Booking a Translator
Please forward all your requests for translations to hcis@wsahs.nsw.gov.
NOTE: Please ensure that you are our eligible client, before forwarding your request. Please refer to Clients
NOTE: These pages contain links to external, third party web sites. Links to third party internet sites are provided for your convienience and are not endorsed by Sydney West Area Health Service.
Last updated: 6th March, 2007
