Occupational Therapist, leading settlement services in Tasmania

The Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2021 highlights that 2.76 per cent of Australians do not speak English well, or at all.

These 701,530 Australians with low English proficiency are particularly vulnerable in health and human-service systems.

These community members have experienced racial discrimination with less favourable treatment based on their ethnicity or immigrant status. Working with interpreters is an excellent way to uphold accessible and equitable services. It also safeguards services against racially discriminatory practices.

Australia’s Primary Health Care 10 Year Plan is investing $2million dollars from 2022-23 over the next four years to ensure private, allied health practitioners can use free interpreter services.

It is a good time for practitioners to reflect on the following working knowledge to identify learning needs:

• I know red flags for needing to arrange an interpreter before a session; • I know how to proceed with a session when someone has borderline adequate English; • I know how to respond when someone brings a child to interpret for them; • I know how to respond when someone does not want an interpreter; • I know red flags for needing to get an interpreter mid-session;

Leading Client Settlement Services- TAS

Clarissa Adriel, OT & Coordinator of Client Services

Clarissa promotes inclusive practices - part of OTA In Action Social Groups

I have seen migrants and refugees experience the good, the bad and the ugly while receiving services … in the mainstream health system for 10 years

• I know when it is optimal to use prebooked versus on-demand interpreters; • I know when it can be better to use phone versus on-site interpreters; • I know ways to optimise costs and the quality of language support; • I know when and how to arrange an interpreter for specific needs such as gender; • I know what to expect when working with an interpreter, and how to help them help the session. Being able to respond to diverse linguistic needs should be routine and efficient in a multicultural society like Australia. Designing language support into business and service models is an excellent way to prevent indirect and structural racism, too. Leaders and managers can reflect on the following service design to identify development needs:

• Referral and other template documentation records in preferred language/s, and interpreter needs of / from service-users; • Software has language and interpreter input fields and can generate reports on these fields; • Language service-line items, for interpreter services, are included in operations budget; • The main phone line can make and receive interpreter-calls to service-users; • Website and flyer has an interpreter logo next to main phone line number; • There is a language service procedure outlining expectations for staff; • There is a working-with-interpreters module or guidance as part of onboarding; • Instructions for how to use the mobile and landline phones for interpreter calls are available on the intranet or reference manual as a quick reference; • Frontline staff have the knowledge and authority to engage interpreters as needed up front, to help eliminate service-users experiencing poor service, or more costs and delays to service; • The language diversity of staff, service-users and wider population, is monitored.

I have seen migrants and refugees experience the good, the bad and the ugly while receiving services, as I have worked in the mainstream health system for 10 years and the specialist multicultural sector for almost another 10 years.

The upfront cost of providing interpreter support is an investment in a full and fair service.

We need language support as a foundation to providing a culturally responsive service. Do you have what you need to get an interpreter to work effectively whenever the need for language support arises?

While the exact date for the budget measure rollout has not been announced, it is reasonable to assume the new government will use the National Translating and Interpreting Service as it does with the free scheme used by pharmacists and doctors. You can become familiar with the service and subscribe to updates on the TIS National website.

Be proud of each step taken towards access and equity that combats the harmful consequences of direct and indirect racism.

The launch of the OTs in Action Social Groups supports our members on the issues of Climate Change, LGBTQI+ and Cultural Diversity. To learn more, visit: https://otaus.com.au/member-resources/social-justicegroups or email damien.pitts@otaus.com.au

About the Author

Clarissa Adriel has worked in the public and private health systems in mental health, education and rehabilitation roles. She has also worked with migrants and refugees as a volunteer and practitioner in the multicultural sector, and in recent years as a service coordinator leading a team and portfolio of settlement programs. In almost 20 years, she has not wavered in her passion to help the profession make progress with access and equity, culturally responsive services and countering racism for the benefit of our multicultural nation.

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