Our News

The Volunteers at PCH have a new team member – ‘Kez’ the Interpreter on Wheels (IOW)!

IOWs are used primarily to converse with patients for whom English is not their first language about medical conditions and clinical appointments across areas including Emergency Department, Outpatients, Fracture Clinic, Ambulatory Care and Maternity.

However, The Trust’s Volunteer Service is now using one of the IOWs as an additional resource for its department at Peterborough City Hospital to further enhance the experience for patients requiring an interpreter. 

Whilst the IOW cannot be used in a medical capacity, it will be used as an additional resource to assist with any conversational challenges including helping a patient to find the way to a particular department, booking a taxi or making a telephone call to a loved one.

Trust Head of Volunteering, Tori Fergusson said: “We are delighted to be able to make use of the IOW and claim it as a new way finder support for the volunteers.  

“Whilst we cannot use the IOW in a medical or clinical capacity, it will a great asset to enable our volunteers to access the interpreting service for more conversational challenges. My huge thanks to the Trust’s Interpreting Services Manager, Alex Papp and Head of Patient Experience, Maria Finch for their approval with this initiative.” 

IOWs are offered to patients as an alternative to using face to face interpreters (where appropriate) to provide a more timely, intuitive and efficient service.

Offering 270 languages – including British Sign Language – North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust has the largest network of Interpreter on Wheels (IOW) in the country.

The 85 portable IWO stations have had a hugely positive impact on patient experience and delivery over the past 18 months, offering a real time service to departments across Peterborough City Hospital and Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Huntingdon and Stamford & Rutland Hospital.

Kez – so named as the department had a spare name badge – is now very much of the team, pictured with Trust Volunteer Co-ordinator, Claire Lucia-Wright.