Monolingual Mindset strikes again
There is a hidden struggle being felt in the Australian health system. While present for some time, the pandemic has only opened up this wound further.
This isn’t the first time I’ve spoken about the government sweeping issues under the rug, nor is it the first time I’ve discussed Australia’s language problems. The Australian government has continually fallen short in supporting vulnerable members of society during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the opening of international borders on 1 November 2021, the overwhelming wave of Omicron has battered the healthcare system in New South Wales. Clinical staff are finding themselves working 18 hour shifts to cover colleagues who are either isolating, unwell, or overworked. The system is on the verge of collapse.
In July of last year the people Western Sydney, in the State of NSW, were hit hard by the Delta wave. Volunteers were taking it upon themselves to translate vital health information, filling gaps left by the state government and health services. It’s clear there has been little improvement.
The healthcare system is a complex operation. A combination of clinical, administrative, and specialist staff work in harmony to provide services the help the community. With limited visitor access in healthcare settings many patients, of whom english is a second language, are struggling to understand what exactly they are going through.
The Guardian yesterday published an article exposing the pressure that is being placed on NSW interpreting services. Interpreting staff are finding themselves horrendously overwhelmed, unable to facilitate the needs of ESL patients.
“It’s been grossly underfunded. There’s just way too much demand for the amount of staff actually employed. Fifteen people are doing the job of 50 people.” - Anonymous Interpreter from NSW Health.
It is the responsibility of healthcare workers to arrange for interpreters for patients. If this cannot be done in time for treatment, or in the case of emergency, they to move forward despite what can be considered a huge barrier to healthcare.
Professional translators have been voicing their concern over the gaps in language and communication in the health context in Australia for years. Many rely on signs and physical queues given on physical signs so that clinical staff can communicate with patients where an interpreter is not available.
“The absence of visual cues limits the interpreters’ understanding of the emotional content. There can be technical issues and limits of bandwidth in certain hospitals and clinics. Staff are not appropriately trained to deal with technical issues that can arise.” - Costa Vasili, chief executive at Ethnolink, a Sydney based translation company.
A missing link in translation and interpretation was clear in the early outbreaks in Western Sydney. It is clear that the government has done little to ensure these gaps were filled. The current wave was inevitable and this essential industry is in desperate need of staff and funding to support vulnerable patients.
More needs to be done to ensure that multicultural patients are able to receive quality care, and health workers are able to communicate effectively with patients.