Hello and welcome. Language Empire have provided this short video to explain how to book an interpreter for your face-to-face GP, dentist, pharmacy and eyecare appointments.
From the 1st April 2021 if you have a face-to-face appointment booked at your GP, dentist, pharmacy or if you are visiting an optician, you must contact us to request an interpreter if you need one at the appointment with you.
We do not book your GP, dentist, pharmacy or opticians’ appointment. You must book your own appointment. If you have booked a video appointment, your surgery, dentist or optician will book the interpreter for the video appointment. If it is face to face, you must book the interpreter.
You or a family member or an advocate can contact us using one of the following methods.
- Whatsapp 07731592002 – you can type a message or send a video using BSL.
- Mobile 07731592002 – text message or phone call.
- Secure email – admin@empire-groupuk.com
- Freephone voice call 0330 2020270
When you send us any messages to book an interpreter, please make sure you send the below information so that we can book you an interpreter.
- The name of the deaf person
- Phone number and email address so we can tell you which interpreter we book
- The date and time of the appointment.
- How long the appointment is for
- Type of appointment, i.e. GP, Dental, Optician, Pharmacy
- The name of your surgery or dentist, pharmacy or eyecare shop, for example, Village Green Surgery, Vision Express
- Where the appointment is but only if this address is different from the surgery, dentist, pharmacy or opticians address. For example, if you are having a Covid vaccine, it is booked through your GP but you will have your vaccine at the racecourse or the sports centre
- Which kind of interpreter you need, i.e. BSL, lipspeaker, etc
- What the appointment is about i.e. blood test, vaccination, tooth extraction
- The name of the interpreter you want if you have one you know
- If you want a male of female interpreter
- The name of any interpreters you don’t want
All interpreters are fully registered NRCPD or RBSLI interpreters. If we cannot book a fully qualified interpreter, we will ask you if you accept a trainee interpreter. You can say no and cancel/change your appointment for when a qualified interpreter is available.
We have some additional information available on our Customer Hub, please visit customerhub.empire-groupuk.com and click on the patient access section.
We are looking forward to working with you and we welcome any feedback. If you have any questions or concerns or need more information please contact us using the contact details above.