The Costs of Inaccurate Interpreting

In our diverse society, accurate interpreting services are required to foster equity among citizens, regardless of their language, culture, or ability. According to the 2010 Equalities Act, non-English speaking persons have the right to be provided with an interpreter when communicating with public sector organisations.

Despite this, to minimise costs, some organisations choose to source interpreters for the lowest price, which raises questions as to their qualifications. Other companies resort to using online tools such as Google Translate and some simply attempt to muddle through with a family member interpreting. However, when we consider the impact that inaccurate interpreting can have on individuals and society as a whole, we realise that the hidden costs are, in fact, huge….

In this article, we delve into the human and financial cost of inaccurate interpreting in healthcare and legal settings.

 

Healthcare: Tragic Loss of Life

Every medical practitioner relies on accurate communication to diagnose and treat their patients correctly. Likewise, patients deserve the right to be informed of what procedures and treatments they are receiving, regardless of whether or not they speak the same language as their doctor.

In 2021, a Sudanese woman lost her life after childbirth at the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. Due to a lack of professional interpretation services, Rana Abdelkarim, went to the hospital at 39 weeks pregnant without her husband, as she was expecting a scan and check-up. She was actually going in to be induced. She suffered a massive haemorrhage whilst giving birth. According to the family’s solicitor, Ms Abdelkarim "didn't understand what was happening", which "resulted in a complete breakdown in communication and led, unfortunately in part to her tragic death". The lack of a professional, qualified interpreter cost this young mother her life.

Rana isn’t the only life that has been lost due to inaccurate interpretation services. According to the BBC, eighty cases of infant death and severe brain damage between 2018-2022 have been linked to interpretation and communication issues due to language barriers.

Despite 84.8% of the total spend on translation and interpretation services by the NHS being utilised for interpretation services, costly cases of inaccurate interpretation are ever-present.

 

Legal Settings: Impact on Public Spending, Lives and Society as a whole

Inaccurate interpretations in a legal setting lead to adjournments, appeals and retrials. The cost on the taxpayer is massive.

In 2014, a collapsed trial of two Lithuanian men cost taxpayers a £30,000 bill. After several other interpreters involved in the case pointed out the inaccuracies in the translation, the judge deemed the trial irreparably compromised and set a date for a new trial.

It is far more cost-effective to engage qualified interpreters with the correct qualifications and experience from the outset, even if the price charged by the interpreting agency is a little higher.

Many have heard about the 1980 case of Willie Ramirez. He was taken to a hospital in South Florida in a comatose state, and due to a misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment, he became a quadriplegic at the age of eighteen. Willie was suffering from an intracerebellar haemorrhage. However, with no interpreter present, the Spanish word “intoxicado”, meaning food poisoning, was assumed to mean the same as the English word “intoxicated”, and he was treated for an intentional drug overdose. The lawsuit resulted in a $71 million settlement.

Let’s not forget the cost on society as a whole, as poor interpretation can result in wrongful convictions and acquittals. According to a report entitled Language barriers in the Criminal Justice System, by Victim Support, the Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (ICPR) and the Centre for Justice Innovation, a lack of high-quality interpreters resulted in inaccurate statements being taken, deteriorating trust in the police and mistaken arrests.

The report found that “interpreters provided often had no specialisations in the language of the criminal justice system and were therefore unable to facilitate full and nuanced communication between police and ESL (English as a second or additional language) speakers.” Failings in language services was a particular concern for violent crimes affecting women, who may be experiencing domestic abuse, potentially even having their immigration status tied to a violent partner.

Final Thoughts

In high-stakes contexts such as law and medicine, it is crucial to work with qualified, professional interpreters. Opting to collaborate with the cheapest language service provider or choosing not to use an external, professional interpreter at all, to save costs, can result in severe consequences, which, in the long run, costs much more on both a financial and human level.

Give Me Your Word’s Specialist Interpreting

At Give Me Your Word, we only work with highly qualified, experienced interpreters who are experts in their respective fields. As a linguist-led business, we have a thorough understanding of the translation and interpreting industry. GMYW’s commitment to fair terms attracts and retains the best translators and interpreters, ensuring you receive quality service every time.

For more information on our specialist interpreting services, get in touch with our team.

References

Cincan, Alina, and Flo Bejgu. “[Research] NHS spending on translation and interpreting services.” Inbox Translation, 17 May 2022, https://inboxtranslation.com/resources/research/nhs-spending-translation-interpreting-services/. Accessed 7 February 2024.

Hill, Matthew. “Gloucester mother died after post-birth treatment delay.” BBC, 6 February 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-64496514. Accessed 7 February 2024.

Hill, Matthew. “NHS interpreting service problems contributed to patient deaths.” BBC, 21 November 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-66605536. Accessed 7 February 2024.

“Language Barriers in the Criminal Justice System.” The Bell Foundation, https://www.bell-foundation.org.uk/criminal-justice-programme/research/language-barriers-in-the-criminal-justice-system/. Accessed 8 February 2024.

Price-Wise, Gail. “Language, Culture, And Medical Tragedy: The Case Of Willie Ramirez.” Health Affairs, 19 May 2023, https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/language-culture-and-medical-tragedy-case-willie-ramirez. Accessed 7 February 2024.

Rutherford, Adrian. “£30000: cost of rape trial that was abandoned after one day.” Belfast Telegraph, 10 February 2014, https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/30000-cost-of-rape-trial-that-was-abandoned-after-one-day/29994644.html. Accessed 7 February 2024.