Welcome to Sign Translate
SignTranslate provide instant help to medical staff when communicating with Deaf patients.
Our video conferencing or On-Line Interpreting service enables immediate access to qualified British Sign Language(BSL) interpreters provided by our partner interpreting organisations around the country.
Clear, precise communication is an absolute necessity in so many situations, particularly GP visits, hospital A & E departments, maternity units, any situation where it's impossible to book a face to face interpreter at short-notice.
Deaf people have a right to communication support and SignTranslate can help.
SignTranslate's phrasebook is now FREE to use for all GPs in England, thanks to the generosity of SignHealth, the healthcare charity for Deaf people.
Click here to find out more, or select "GP Program - FREE access" in the red User Login area above, and give your NHS Practice Code.
SignTranslate's phrasebook is designed to aid communication with people who have difficulty understanding English, whether they are Deaf and use BSL, or are non-English speaking ethnic minorities.
The phrasebook has over 300 pre-defined medical questions translated into BSL video clips and 12 foreign languages. It's good to use when an interpreter cannot be reached for example; out of hours.
Award Winning
SignTranslate is proud to announce that SignTranslate Hospital has been awarded the prize for Healthcare ICT Product Innovation at the BT eHealth Insider Awards 2008 (see News below).
SignTranslate News
Bridgend Local Health Board Pilot SignTranslate
2009-06-18
Bridgend Local Health Board has launched a pilot in some GP surgeries to provide communication support for Deaf people in Bridgend. The pilot is running for 6 months and is aimed at ensuring that Deaf people who need British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation are able to access an interpreter when they attend a medical appointment. SignTranslate provide access to regional BSL interpreters through web-cams who translate the conversation between the doctor and the Deaf patient. ...Click here for more info
Royal United Hospital Bath launch SignTranslate
2009-06-15
SignHealth, the national healthcare charity for deaf people has been working with the RUH to offer SignTranslate and provide Deaf Awareness training for more than 200 staff. ...Click here for more info
RU Hospital Bath gets Deaf Aware
2009-04-01
Deaf patients at the Royal United Hospital in Bath are set to receive a friendlier welcome. The hospital has commissioned SignTranslate to train 250 front-line staff in Deaf Awareness and the use of SignTranslate Hospital. ...Click here for more info
On-Line Interpreting in Reading
2009-03-02
SignTranslate and terptree, an interpreting agency based in Berkshire are holding a joint event showing you how you can have an Interpreter at your Doctors appointment using a webcam. ...Click here for more info
SignTranslate Hospital launches
2009-01-13
New translation program set to drive down NHS interpreting costs
According to figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, health service trusts are being hit by soaring translation costs totalling GBP 50 million a year. ...Click here for more info
SignTranslate win ICT Product Innovation Award
2008-11-19
SignTranslate, producers of unique web-based communication programs, were presented with an award for innovation at the BT e-Health Insider Awards held at the Millennium Mayfair Hotel on 17th November. ...Click here for more info
SignTranslate in the BMJ
2008-10-22
The British Medical Journal has published a letter from SignTranslate, telling GPs about the service.
The letter, from SignTranslate's marketing manager, Lauren Besant, explains the difficulty of booking an interpreter - there only being 400 across the country.
Lauren goes on to explain that SignTranslate is currently available for free to all GP practices in England and can translate not just into BSL, but also 12 foreign languages.
The letter can be read here
...Click here for more info
SignTranslate Shortlisted for E-Health Insider Award
2008-09-18
SignTranslate have been short listed to the final three in their category at BT E-Health Insider Awards, a competition dedicated to highlighting and rewarding the hard work and bright ideas of information and communications technology professionals in UK healthcare. The ICT product innovation category, of which SignTranslate is a contender, recognizes new products that provide benefits for patients. ...Click here for more info
SignTranslate on BBC's SeeHear
2008-09-10
SignTranslate and SignHealth charity featured in the BBC's See Hear magazine programme for Deaf people on 10th September 2008. The programme ran an article about SignTranslate on Wednesday 10th September at 1pm on BBC2 and it was repeated on Wednesday 17th September on BBC2 at 1.50am. The article is very informative about the service that SignTranslate offers and has interviews given by SignHealth Chief Executive, Steve Powell, and SignTranslate Deaf Ambassador Roger Hewitt. ...Click here for more info
Free Service Means Deaf Patients Can See Their Doctor Sooner
2008-06-16
SignTranslate, the web-based communication program for Deaf people, is being made available to all GPs in England free of charge from this summer. The project will be funded by SignHealth, a national charity which is committed to bringing better healthcare to Deaf people in the UK. The program translates over 300 medical questions into British Sign Language (BSL) by means of short video clips. ...Click here for more info
Southampton Surgery Champions SignTranslate
2008-01-31
With Gordon Brown stressing recently in the news that the NHS must embrace reforms to meet the challenges of twenty-first century lives, St Mary's surgery in Southampton is doing just that. Dr Kevin Reynolds and his staff are using a revolutionary web-based program called SignTranslate to help them communicate with Deaf patients and those who have limited English. ...Click here for more info