Gateways Family Service’s (GFS) pregnancy outreach workers team regularly requested telephone interpreting. We facilitated this function for a number of years, developing both an excellent relationship and an effective partnership.
GFS supports vulnerable, non-English-speaking first-time mothers. We supply teams of female-only interpreters to cover a wide range of languages and assist with all communications, supporting the team of outreach workers in their goals.
Engaging with the customer
In order to engage successfully with GFS, we arranged an initial meeting at the start of the contract. We collaborated to develop a contract-specific service level agreement. This included details of the expected frequency of requests and variety of languages. We incorporated safeguarding training into our induction programme to ensure our interpreters could deliver a comprehensive interpreting service to the clients. All our interpreters sign a strict code of confidentiality and professional conduct. Our interpreters receive training on identifying and reporting safeguarding issues as part of their induction training, and in addition, are trained to be aware of cultural sensitivities in dealing with difficult situations.
To provide a successful service that meets GFS’s specific requirements and for service continuity, we provide the same teams of interpreters for regular assignments
AtoZ Interpreting and Translation Services have delivered face to face language translation and interpreting services to NHS Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit since creation of the CSU in April 2013. Prior to 2013 (and from 2006), AtoZ Interpreting and Translation Services worked for the respective local primary care trust delivering face to face language translation and interpreting services. They are a respected supplier within our large supply chain, working alongside our cohort of freelance interpreters and other private suppliers to deliver translation and interpreting services in Birmingham. We have flexible arrangements with our supply chain partners and as such the volume of work delivered by AtoZ Interpreting and Translation Services has fluctuated in line with our requirements.
The service delivered by AtoZ Interpreting and Translation Services is good and in line with our contractual arrangement with them. Operational queries are dealt with promptly by their Managing Director and there are no outstanding issues to date. Contract volume is subject to variance, depending on the needs of our client and availability. AtoZ Interpreting and Translation Services have delivered services that are both planned and on short notice on occasion. The maximum number of jobs delivered per annum by AtoZ Interpreting and Translation Services was 20,000 in 2015. AtoZ Interpreting and Translation Services are able to provide interpreters who are fluent in circa 100 languages, including but not limited to Polish, Urdu, Albanian, Italian, Slovak and Hindi.
RSVP is a well-established rape and sexual abuse charity, covering the whole of Birmingham and Solihull. We have worked with A to Z for some time now. They help us to support women who have fled their own country and are claiming asylum in the UK due to experiences of sexual trauma. A to Z are confidential, show empathy when dealing with this particularly sensitive issue and are experienced in interpreting and translation. They are a professional company to work with.
In my role as a Family Support Worker, I work with children and families speaking different languages. I have been using A to Z interpreting services for last 5 years as they have a variety of interpreters speaking different languages, for example Arabic, Bangladeshi, Romanian, Polish and Spanish. Staff members at A to Z are very accommodative as they would provide male/female interpreter on my request and email me name of an interpreter in advance.
Pharmatech have been using A to Z interpreting services since 2015, for translation of their in depth Technical Documentation for equipment sold to overseas Customer’s. We have always been extremely happy with their prompt and efficient service, and as such would be happy to recommend them for such work
