Healthcare and the NHS
GP and hospital appointments, mental health assessments, maternity care, dental and community clinics. Interpreters who know medical terminology and the need for sensitivity.
Interpreting Services
A qualified interpreter, in the room with you, for the appointments and meetings where being there in person makes the difference.
A face-to-face interpreter sits in on your appointment or meeting and relays everything that is said between you and the other person, as it happens. It is the form of interpreting most people picture, and the one UK courts, hospitals and councils still rely on for conversations that are sensitive, detailed, or simply too important to risk a misunderstanding.
Prism Linguistics arranges face-to-face interpreters anywhere in the UK, in more than 300 languages. We have spent years building a network of qualified, vetted interpreters, so when you call us about a hospital appointment in Leeds or a tribunal hearing in Birmingham, we usually already know who to send.
Telephone and video interpreting have their place, and for a quick or routine call they are often the better choice. But some conversations are harder to do justice to down a phone line.
If an appointment is likely to run long, if there are documents or scan results to look at together, if the subject is distressing, or if a judge has asked for an interpreter to be present, you want someone physically there. Body language, tone and eye contact all carry meaning, and an interpreter who can see the room reads a situation far better than one who cannot.
It also puts people at ease. A patient explaining symptoms, a witness giving an account, a parent in a SEN review: these are easier when the person helping them communicate is sitting alongside, not a voice on speakerphone.
Our interpreters are used to the rhythm and the rules of each of these environments. They are not generalists dropped into unfamiliar rooms.
GP and hospital appointments, mental health assessments, maternity care, dental and community clinics. Interpreters who know medical terminology and the need for sensitivity.
Hearings at HM Courts & Tribunals, immigration appeals and family proceedings. We supply interpreters whose qualifications stand up to scrutiny from the bench.
Housing meetings, social services, safeguarding reviews and resettlement support. Discreet, DBS-checked interpreters who handle difficult conversations with care.
Witness interviews, custody-suite work and Home Office appointments. Many of our interpreters are Met Police Approved and used to working under caution.
Negotiations, audits, supplier visits, training days and HR meetings. Interpreters who keep a professional, neutral presence in commercial settings.
Parents' evenings, SEN and EHCP reviews, admissions meetings and safeguarding discussions. Patient interpreters who help families feel included.
Anyone can call themselves bilingual. Public service interpreting asks for a good deal more than that, and the interpreters we send reflect it.
Most of our public service interpreters hold the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (DPSI) and appear on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI). For police work we use interpreters who are Met Police Approved. Every interpreter who attends an NHS, court, police, school or council safeguarding appointment holds a current Enhanced DBS certificate, and we are happy to confirm that before the booking.
Just as important is the match. An interpreter who is excellent in a courtroom is not automatically the right fit for a maternity ward. We look at the language, the dialect, the setting and the subject, and we assign accordingly. If we do not think we have the right person for a job, we will tell you rather than send the wrong one.
The language and dialect, the date and time, the location and the type of appointment. The more we know, the better the match. You can use the online form or call us on +44 (0) 20 3880 6688.
A project manager finds a suitable interpreter and confirms the booking with you, usually within the hour during office hours. We will flag anything you should know, such as a longer lead time for a rare language.
They arrive ahead of time, introduce themselves to both parties and explain how they will work. During the appointment they interpret accurately and stay neutral, without adding or leaving anything out.
We confirm the time spent and invoice clearly. If you have a series of appointments, we will try to keep the same interpreter so there is continuity for everyone involved.
If your appointment is short, urgent or remote, one of these may suit you better.
An interpreter on the line within minutes, 24 hours a day. Best for short or unplanned calls.
Simultaneous interpreting for events, and video remote interpreting when travel is not practical.
NRCPD-registered BSL interpreters for Deaf and hard-of-hearing attendees, on site or by video.
Tell us the language, the date and where it is. We will come back to you within the hour with a price and a confirmed interpreter.