OPTIM-I: Optimising the use of professionally trained interpreters in maternity services of England

People from different cultures may experience communication barriers in healthcare interactions. Language, communication and understanding information is very important for maternity care to be safe, equal and fair. For women to be equal partners in their maternity care, they need information about their pregnancy and birth, to be able to ask questions, understand the answers and know where to seek help. If there are communication needs, the midwife or doctor should book a trained interpreter for the appointment. However, we know this doesn't always happen. Professional trained interpreter use in medical communication can make the quality of clinical care the same for patients independent of language barriers.

We want to look at what helps or blocks the use of professional trained interpreters in maternity care by comparing practice in six different NHS maternity sites. In the first stage, researchers will watch what currently happens in maternity care consultations, talk to women, interpreters, and maternity staff, and ask maternity staff to complete a survey. In the second stage, maternity staff and women will design a toolkit of resources over the course of three workshops. In the third stage, the toolkit will be tested in the six maternity sites. The researchers will look at how well the toolkit is working by watching consultations and, again, talking to the above groups of people. They will compare data from the first stage to after this testing stage and then improve the toolkit to make it the best it can be.

The women and healthcare staff we spoke to felt this project was very important for the safety and wellbeing of women and their families. NHS Trusts are keen to take part in this project, telling the research team it is a priority topic for them. Our toolkit and research findings will be shared nationally.