Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has turned to a live translation service to improve accessibility for non-English speaking patients.
Used within its video consultation platform the service has the potential to save 90% on traditional translation services, supplier Healthcare Communications claimed.
The pay-as-you-go translation service can translate more than 100 languages in real-time, audio or text.
Healthcare Communications eClinic platform was deployed across the trust in August 2020 in a bid to reduce the number of patients visiting the hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The platform integrates with the trusts patient administration system (PAS) and enables patients to attend appointments remotely using tech including smartphones and tablets.
Dione Rogers, chief nursing informatics officer at the trust, said: “At the start of the pandemic, we realised that we needed to procure a video consultation platform so that we could continue to see our patients and reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
“It is so much more empowering for a patient to be at the centre of their own appointment, in control of their own health, and to be able to speak with a clinician directly.
“A really big issue at the trust is being tackled and I can’t wait for staff and patients to begin realising the benefits.”
Healthcare Communications planned to make the live translation functionality available in its eClinic video consultation platform by the end of 2020.
Kenny Bloxham, managing director Healthcare Communications, added: “Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have seen the rapid adoption of technology across the NHS, and it can mean that some people get left behind.
“But we are committed to preventing digital exclusion so that patients from all demographics have equal access to high-quality care. We’re looking forward to working with our 125 other client trusts as we continue to maximise eClinic’s capabilities, empower patients to take control of their own care and save the NHS money from the millions of pounds spent on traditional translation services each year.”