Interpreters

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For Medical Practitioners

Private medical practitioners are eligible to access the Free Interpreting Service when delivering services that are:

  • Medicare rebateable
  • Delivered in private practice
  • Provided to anyone in Australia who has a Medicare card.

Nursing and practice support staff who are working with a private medical practitioner registered with TIS National can also access the service using the same client code. A free interpreter is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
More information about FREE Interpreter Services for Medical Practitioners
Doctors Priority Line 1300 131 450

Interpreter Engagement in General Practice in Australia – May 2020

For Pharmacies
For Allied Health Professionals

Allied health professionals in private practice delivering services to patients within approved Local Government Areas can now access the Free Interpreting Service.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the pilot program, allied health professionals must meet all three of the below criteria:

  •  The allied health professional must be delivering services in a private practice to patients who are eligible for a Medicare card.
  • The allied health professional must be in one of the approved allied health disciplines and hold specific accreditations/certifications
  • The allied health professional must be delivering their services in one of the approved local government areas (LGA)

Download a list of eligible disciplines, certifications and LGAs

Applying

If you meet all eligibility requirements you can apply for access to free interpreting by filling out the online application form on the TIS National website 

Each allied health professional will need to apply for their own personal account, we are unable to approve applications for single accounts with multiple allied health staff.

PHN funded Allied Health Interpreter Program

This program supports access to private allied health services by non-English speaking clients and ensure free interpreting services are available to AHPs working in private practice to communicate with non-English speaking clients. Registered AHPs can receive FREE access to Immediate phone interpreting, Pre-booked phone interpreting and On-site interpreting.

Brisbane South

Download the FLYER and expression of interest or contact 3864 7580 or refugeehealth@bsphn.org.au.
Due to the high number of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) now registered for the ‘Interpreting for AHPs Program,’ Brisbane South PHN are reviewing each new application  with consideration to local need and program capacity.  If an AHP would like to be considered for the program, they should send a completed EOI to refugeehealth@bsphn.org.au or fax to 07 3864 7599. Brisbane South PHN will communicate the outcome of the EOI via email.

Brisbane North & Moreton Bay Region

Darling Downs & West Moreton

Darling Downs & West Moreton PHN has established a program.
More information or contact (07) 4615 0933

Tips for working with Interpreters

 Metro South Health – Videos for clincians

‘Working effectively with interpreters and translators’ e-learning packages, developed by Children’s Health Qld Education for clinicians, interpreters and translators to develop collaborative interprofessional partnerships. View them here. 

    1. E-learning package for clinicians
    2. E-learning package for speech pathologists
    3. E-learning package for interpreters and translators to work with speech pathologists.
    Resources
    • Resource Guide on working with interpreters in challenging situations – developed by the Health Equity and Access Team. The Guide will help staff to improve communication and language support for our culturally and linguistically diverse patients.

             For more information:   Queensland Health staff – Visit QHEPS
                                                          External stakeholders – here

    • Regional Interpreting Internship Model (2021)- CatholicCare Social Services
    • Digital copy of the TIS National multilingual poster
    • Interpreter Identification Card – Put this sign in Practice Reception so that patients can point to the language they speak. Practice staff can then arrange an interpreter at no charge. Developed by Metro South Health, 2016.
    • Languages of the world – Use this list to assist you to identify which language your patient may require an interpreter for.
    • CALD Assist – A way for nursing staff and allied health clinicians to communicate with patients from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds when an interpreter is not available. Includes: 10 common languages, 5 allied health disciplines: Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Podiatry and Speech Pathology and nursing specific module. Read more here.
    •  The Free Translating Service is provided for people settling permanently in Australia, to support participation in employment, education and community engagement.Permanent residents and select temporary or provisional visa holders are able to have up to ten eligible documents translated, into English, within the first two years of their eligible visa grant date. The Migration Translators delivers the Free Translating Service on behalf of the Department of Social Services. More information here.
    Legislation, policies and guidelines
    Further reading and links

    Find out if you are eligible for the Free Interpreting Service HERE

    NOTE: Telephone and Onsite Interpreters can be booked in advance to ensure that an interpreter is available for the consultation. Book an on site interpreter online with as much notice as possible. Make a note of the patient’s need for an interpreter and the patient’s preferred language/s in their chart for future reference. Document that an interpreter was used in the patient’s record including the interpreter’s code.