New British Sign Language Interpreting Services for GP Practices in South West London
GP practices in South West London, which cover Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton, and Wandsworth boroughs, introduced a new BSL interpreter provider on 1st October 2024.DA Languages replaces the old provider, Language Line, and aims to make it easier for people to get the support they need. GP staff have been given training materials to help them use the new system.
DA Languages offers:
- Qualified BSL interpreters via on-demand video BSL interpretation. This is a new feature in GP services.
- British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation in person.
- Translation for over 500 spoken languages.
Patient Challenges About Accessibility
Before these changes in October 2024, Healthwatch organisations in South West London carried out engagement work around the Accessible Information Standard. Some patients had problems with BSL interpretation services. They said it took too long to book interpreters, the service wasn’t reliable, and there were concerns about privacy.
Find our report on the Accessible Information Standard
Share your experience with us
We want to know if the new BSL services are helping to address people’s concerns.
Those who provide a provide a response will be entered into a prize draw to win a £45 One4All gift voucher. To be eligible, please share your responses by 9 May 2025.
If you have used BSL interpreter service provided by your South West London GP practice since 1 October 2024, we want to hear your views. We will share anonymised experiences with the NHS commissioners of these services so that they can continue to improve them. We will also publish a short article with our findings on this website when it is ready.
If you would prefer to share your experiences with us in BSL rather than in the survey
Instead of completing the survey, you can send a video response to us.
In your video, please confirm that you go to a GP surgery in a South West London borough (Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton, or Wandsworth) and that you have used the GP’s BSL interpreter service since 1 October 2024. Please then let us know:
- What worked well and what could be improved about the new BSL interpreter service.
- Your e-mail address, if you would like for us to send you a copy of the findings from this research or to be entered into the prize draw.
You do not have to provide your name. Involve Interpreter will translate the video to English. We will delete the videos after we have received them and will not share them with anyone else.
Who can I contact with questions?
Please contact Iyinoluwa Oshinowo, South West London Engagement Coordinator (iyinoluwa@swlhealthwatch.org.uk) and Alyssa Chase-Vilchez, South West London Executive Officer, at alyssa@swlhealthwatch.org.uk.
