13 Palliative care training for professional interpreters

Introduction Cultural and ethnic diversity is increasing in the United Kingdom, and communication complexity is one facet of this in clinical contexts. This is particularly evident within Leicester where only 72.5% of the population can speak and understand English.¹ The implication of this level of ethnic diversity on palliative practice is a greater reliance on Professional Interpreters as an integral member of multidisciplinary teams and in assisting in complex discussions and decision making. However, there is no specific training in England for Professional Interpreters about palliative care, or the principles underpinning these complex discussions. A recent literature review highlighted the emotional impact of interpreting palliative care conversations on Professional Interpreters, with recommendations including the need for formal training.² Methods A training session about palliative care was arranged for community-based Professional Interpreters in the Leicestershire area on two occasions. The training was delivered by a team of palliative care doctors. The sessions included training on key terms and concepts of palliative care, discussion around common case scenarios, and a time to reflect on the training in the context of the Professional Interpreters own culture. Feedback was sought following the training. Results Feedback was received from 6 out of 22 participants after the first training session, and 12 of 17 participants following the second session. Overall, the feedback from the participants was positive. All participants found the teaching useful, increased their knowledge and felt this had changed their practice. Conclusion From the feedback, there is evidence Professional Interpreters found training on the unique, emotive and complex discussions in palliative care to be useful and relevant. Further research is required into the specific understanding of Professional Interpreters around palliative care, to ascertain areas where training should focus and to guide training content, as well as to understand if such training impacted on their emotional wellbeing. References Leicester Population 2023 | Population UK (ukpopulation.org). Hancox J, et al. The emotional effects on professional interpreters of interpreting palliative care conversations for adult patients: a rapid review. Palliative Medicine 2023;37(7):931–946.