6312 Initial experience of remote and face-to-face interpreting introduced at a children’s emergency department serving a superdiverse community in Birmingham, UK

Objectives For families with limited English proficiency (LEP), language barriers impact on patient care.1 2 One US study found children whose families had LEP and with no access to an interpreter had a 2.1 higher odds of adverse events than children of parents who expressed comfort with English.3 Birmingham is a superdiverse city, with 51% of the population from minority ethnic backgrounds.4 We describe the provision of interpreting services in our children's emergency department (ED). Methods Anonymised, aggregate data on number of voice and video calls by language through the DORA interpreting system (delivered via a tablet device, introduced January 2021). Description of our ED Runner service. This study was deemed a service evaluation. Results From January 2021 to July 2023, staff made 2,631 calls – 22% via video and 78% via audio link. The service translated 49 different languages – top three were Arabic, Romanian and Urdu (see table 1), with 2.7% of patients needing the DORA service. This figure is likely higher with staff using own language skills and software such as Google translate. Average call was 15.3 minutes (£0.63/minute for audio and £0.99/minute for audio – average cost for audio call, £9.64). Monthly usage slipped at our busiest time (Nov- Dec 2022, see figure 1), possibly due to availability (we have one tablet) and clinician headspace to use this (anomaly in the data for March 2023). ED Runners, who started in October 2021, work twilight shifts in the ED seven days a week and aid with interpreting, explain waiting times, provide drinks/activities and signpost/escort families across the hospital. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive (see figure 2). Conclusion Addressing language barriers in the ED is vital to ensure good outcomes for families with LEP. We plan to implement screening for LEP to improve their ED journey. References Flores G. Language barriers and hospitalized children: are we overlooking the most important risk factor for adverse events? JAMA Pediatr. 2020 Dec 1;174(12):e203238. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.3238. Eneriz-Wiemer M, Sanders LM, Barr DA, Mendoza FS. Parental limited English proficiency and health outcomes for children with special health care needs: a systematic review. Acad Pediatr. 2014 Mar-Apr;14(2):128–36. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2013.10.003. Khan A, Yin HS, Brach C, et al. Association between parent comfort with English and adverse events among hospitalized children. JAMA Pediatr. 2020;174(12):e203215. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.3215. Vinter R. 'Diversity is a beautiful thing': the view from Leicester and Birmingham. The Guardian, 29th November 2022.