Sussex Interpreting Services’ Service User Views and Experiences

Healthwatch Brighton and Hove worked with Sussex Interpreting Services (SIS) in June 2013 to gather the views of around 80 people with language support needs about a range of health services, including A&E, hospital discharge, physiotherapy and GP services. Participants represented a range of language communities and used electronic voting technology to share their experiences and views. 

Several recurring themes emerged. Participants generally reported positive experiences of healthcare services but identified barriers linked to communication, access to information and interpreting needs. Across services, people wanted clearer explanations, more information in accessible formats and better support to help them navigate the healthcare system. 

For hospital services, almost three-quarters of participants had used Accident and Emergency, with most attending because they believed it was the best place for urgent care or because support was needed outside normal hours. While most rated their experience as good or very good, concerns focused on long waiting times, insufficient staff and occasions when interpreters were not available. Among those who had experienced hospital discharge, many reported waiting two to four hours to leave hospital, and almost half felt they were not given enough information about support services or ongoing care following discharge. 

Participants also highlighted challenges accessing physiotherapy and GP services. Around half of those referred for physiotherapy reported waiting two to three months for an appointment, and most felt this was too long. Almost half wanted more information about their treatment. GP services were generally viewed positively, but around one-fifth of respondents reported difficulties obtaining appointments and a similar proportion lacked confidence in the care they received. Those unable to get a GP appointment often turned to walk-in centres, out-of-hours services or A&E instead. 

Healthwatch concluded that improving access to interpreters, providing clearer information about services, reducing waiting times and helping people better understand available healthcare options would improve experiences for people with language support needs. The findings were shared with relevant providers, commissioners and public health teams to inform future service improvements.