Translators in hospital

For your info.....

everytime I have been to the hospital, Pont du Ch in Mont. I have noticed a sign offering a person to assist for non French speakers.  When I have had to stay in, many many times, the doctors have asked me if I wanted someone.  I am lucky not to need, my french is ok now, I also have St James too!!  But for those who don't speak the lingo, it must be a worry......i suspect some older people will be worrying about talking about ailments with relative strangers too?

On a lighter note, my yearly checkup has been given the thumbs up....long may that continue.

Kx

Val says great news K.

Must be ten years ago I went with a friend to Montauban Hospital, just to keep her company whilst she was having a check up. Her Dr had told her there was nothing to worry about and I am sure neither one of us expected the bad news that was given.  Although it was devasting at the time that friend is now doing very well and I will always be pleased she had someone with her at the time. I could see real bonds developing  with this scheme and users of it. As I would stress again all the people on that list are caring [ they would not have applied if they were not] and they also have sense and discretion

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Accompanied hospital visits

The trouble with strung out tests and investigations is that you can't predict at which appointment a diagnosis, and possibly a devastating prognosis, might be delivered.  Good point also about reception staff having little English.  And French anaesthetists often seem to do things differently.  Understanding how you should expect to feel after coming round is awfully important.

Some people do like to assert their rights at the beginning of a process, and I respect that view.  But my own feeling is that if I demanded a free translator at reception, implying that I hadn't bothered to learn much French, I could get labelled an uncooperative person from the start - a reputation that could travel around the hospital with me.  It probably wouldn't bestow any tangible disadvantage, but in the gloom of feeling ill, I might imagine it was affecting how I was being treated.  It's a time when you have to be as positive as you can, and that wouldn't be a great way to start.    

Says a reader 

 

Val says  - I so agree with that reader, and that is one of the reasons I would personally prefer one of our accompanying translators.

Another thing was raised by a reader this morning which I whole heartily agree with. They said I would use this service even though I have good French just to have someone to go with. You cannot be always asking friends  to accompany you, they would soon get fed up, but being able to pay a small fee, not to have to go on my own would be worth a lot.

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A reader sends this follow up, on hospital visits

For various reasons people may not want someone from the British community to accompany them on a hospital visit. If anyone feels that their French is not up to coping with a consultation they can request that a translator is present and this must by law be provided free by the hospital either in person or by telephone.

If anyone is using a volunteer for a hospital visit, both parties should agree the boundaries of confidentiality before the visit (might be no one else may know, my partner only etc) 

Any volunteer should be quite clear about their own medical knowlege before the visit ie ex medical professional, considerable hospital experience or just good at french

A volunteer should always know the rights of the patient - should be clearly displayed in the hospital or available as a pamphlet and especially how to make a complaint.

Val says - useful information so thanks to that reader.

The first point about getting a translator free by law. I can imagine that being very difficult to organize with out speaking French ( bizarrely) Also help could be needed with complicated registration and seeing an anesthetist 

None of the accompanying French speakers need any medical knowledge, other than a mastery of the French language .

I would expect total confidentiality as a matter of course and as I know every one of the names  on the list I am sure I can vouch for them all in that respect.

All points worth bearing in mind though.

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Accompanied hospital visits

I have put the information in a label on the top bar for accompanied hospital visits. So if you would like to go along for example to see a specialist and are worried about the language you can go with someone who can tell you exactly what you are being told and also ask any questions you might want to put to the specialist.
It is important with your health that you understand what is being said to you. Having a guess is not a good idea!
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Another good reason to be a Fifi member

Dear Val

I am so pleased that you are feeling better today.

 I think your idea for the community to have translators for a fee will help many people. 

Within FiFi we have a very successful support system called Friends on Call which covers all emergencies, from taking a member or spouse to hospital, temporary care of a pet, hospital visits, cooking food for the freezer for a sick member, doing laundry, rescuing stranded members when a car breaks down and a whole lot more. I'm sure there will be FiFi members who will come forward to offer help to translate for anyone in need in the community.

Well done Val

Love  Linda  

Val says  A very worthwhile idea "Friends on call" for the ladies who are Fifi members. I do think though sometimes one does not want to be indebted and bother friends too much, and  by having a small fee one feels happier and more comfortable with a friendly business transaction and of course all the men are included with or with out a partner.

How many on the list are actually French speakers and it may be worth noting those  members who are reasonable French speakers, who are also prepared to do accompanied hospital visits.

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More for the list

bonjour,
je suis ravie des bonnes nouvelles pour vous, Val. Et en même temps choquée
de la façon dont cela s'est passé, et du peu d'écoute de la part de
l'infirmière !!!
Vous pouvez me mettre sur la liste des accompagnateurs potentiels. Mais en
fait vous avez déja beaucoup de personnes très qualifiées et beaucoup plus
libres de leur temps que moi.
Enfin, à toute fin utile, comme on dit, ajoutez-moi à la liste.
amitiés,
Nadette
Val says Nadette who lives at Espinas is a fluent English speaker having taught English.

Val, you can add me to the list of people to accompany non-french speakers

on hospital visits. Jolly good idea;
Jill Spearman

Val says I do think we could do with a couple of men coming forward, sometimes blokes are happier with blokes, do not ask me why?
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What a great response

Hi Val,
 you can put me on the list to help people with hospital visits.  Having done probably nearly 500 over the last three years to hospitals in Toulouse, Montauban and Villefranche, I know the system and the language.  Fortunately, it looks like our visits will be coming to an end by the end of the year so if I can help someone else I certainly will.
Anne Grose

Hi Val,

I hope you've recovered from your unpleasant experience yesterday. Malc
might have told you that he met us at Hyper U. He said he was 'killing
time'. I thought he looked a little preoccupied: now I know why. I'm glad
your results were good, anyway. My husband has had acid reflux and the drugs
do work.
I can live with the four day diet. It's the purge that's hard work!
I'd be very happy to go on the list to accompany non-French speakers to
hospital. I've been here for nearly 17 years and my French is now of
reasonable standard. I think it's an excellent idea. Imagine how your
experience would have been for someone who can't speak French.
Vanessa x

Good Morning Val! I’d be more than glad to help as long as I don’t have to do the driving. My training as a   nurse (allbeit many moons ago) has already been useful in this respect. Love, Sally.

Good morning Val, A very good idea indeed, please put my name on the list for help with French. Hope your arm hurts less by now. And hopefully the nurse was told to listen to the patient next time! Love, Marcia Val says Marcia will be useful to our Dutch and English readers More than happy to do this when the need arises -my French is pretty good  Love linda Val says  that is so brilliant. I will work on getting Tel. numbers and email addresses  and any other info  Like where people live, if they would not want to drive, if they are Dutch speakers.  If whilst I am doing this anyone else has ideas please pass them on. The label will go on the top of TAG again Comments to taglines82@gmail.com

The more I think about it, the more I see the need.

If you are a French speaker of a reasonable level and would like to be added to a list of people willing to accompany non French speaking people on a hospital visit please contact TAG. You do not need any professional skills,  just be able to help anyone with the language. It may be after a first visit it is found that the specialist and reception speak English and you may only be needed for one accompanied visit. I am envisaging 10 euros an hour as the fee just as a guide. I will pass this email on to Fifi and see if they would also be interested in taking up the idea as well for their members.
Be first on the list to help your compatriots, if you are contacted and have already have a rendezvous elsewhere, it would then be possible to phone the next in your area on the list.
In confidence if you have further queries or to go on the list with your area listed contact me.
Malc says  one of Vals better ideas!
Val   taglines82@gmail.com