AQW 48683/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Health
To ask the Minister of Health for an update on interpreter availability, in each Health and Social Care Trust.
Asked by Connie Egan MLA on 15 June 2026
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 15 June 2026
- Answer due by
- 30 June 2026
- Answered
- 20 July 202635 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Health
- Priority question
- No
Answer
The Regional Interpreting Service managed by the Business Services Organisation (BSO) for all Health and Social Care (HSC), ensures 24 hour and 7 day interpreting support to all sectors of the HSC across Northern Ireland.
Interpreters are self-employed and registered with the BSO to provide face to face language interpreting services as required. Interpreters have no normal hours of work, and demand for their services varies according to the needs of service users. As self-employed workers, they can register and accept work from Private Agencies and across a number of Government Departments such as Department of Justice (for Police, courts, prison service), Education (schools and other educational services) and the Department for Communities (housing) etc.
The Overall Provision Rate for the BSO Interpreting Service in 2025/26 was 95.5%.
Table 1 below shows the interpreting service provision per HSC Trust Area in 2025/26:
Table 1
| HSC Organisation | BSO Interpreting Requests 2025/26 | BSO Interpreting Provision Rate |
| Belfast HSC Trust Area | 54,725 | 94.88% |
| Southern HSC Trust Area | 45,921 | 96.99% |
| Northern HSC Trust Area | 15,389 | 95.44% |
| South Eastern HSC Trust Area | 10,077 | 94.44% |
| Western HSC Trust Area | 6,771 | 92.13% |
| Other | 176 | 92.61% |
| Total | 133,059 | 95.5% |
Whilst the overall level is above the agreed Key Performance Indicator of 95%, that target is not met in all Trust areas or languages. There has also been a gradual decline in service provision since the 2020 pandemic, driven by a number of factors but essentially an increase in demand whilst there is a reduction in available interpreters.
This is due to a limited pool of interpreters across Northern Ireland and difficulties recruiting Interpreters to the HSC regional service particularly in some localities. In addition, there has been a recorded increase in the number of interpreters declining HSC assignments, frequently citing commitments to “working elsewhere” such as in private agencies and other Government Departments. These organisations are seen to offer more attractive payrates than the HSC.
Further details on HSC interpreting services, including the provision rates, to can be obtained from annual reports available on the BSO website.
https://bso.hscni.net/directorates/operations/regional-interpreting-service/general-information/