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N4’s Community of Practice (CoP) recently brought together Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from the health and settlement sectors to develop a proposed national standard for interpretation and an accompanying set of recommendations for newcomers. Lack of access to interpretation services creates barriers to equitable care by impeding consent and engagement in the care process, impeding patient safety, and causing inefficiencies. While many providers and organizations strongly support the use of interpreters, there are system-level structural and funding issues which prevent their consistent use.
Payment and other key structural elements impacting access to interpretation services in Canada currently vary by province. The proposed standards document lays out the evidence for how implementing a national standard can promote a safer and more equitable experience for newcomers. It also provides a roadmap towards access to healthcare interpretation, as well as how the settlement and healthcare sectors interact to ensure role clarity and appropriate professional boundaries.
N4 will be building upon this work to advance efforts to establish national standards at the federal level. In the interim we would like to ensure as many stakeholders as possible are aware of this work. Please feel free to use this paper to inform your own work, and to share it with others in your network.
Have feedback or interested in connecting? You can reach us at info@newcomernavigation.ca
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