Optimising the use of Professionally Trained Interpreters in maternity services of England

The problem

Interpreters during their maternity care. While NHS guidelines say hospitals should provide trained interpreters, this often doesn’t happen. Instead, women frequently rely on friends or family members to interpret, which can create problems with privacy, accurate information, and honest discussions about sensitive health issues. Documentation of women’s language needs is inconsistent, and midwives report difficulties accessing interpreters when needed.

The response

This research project aims to improve how professional interpreters are used throughout pregnancy and childbirth care across six NHS hospital trusts. The team will study current practices, understand what barriers exist, and work together with midwives, women, and interpreters to create practical solutions. They’ll develop a ‘toolkit’ of resources to help everyone involved communicate more effectively and safely.

The findings

The researchers will observe and interview people in six diverse hospitals to understand how communication currently works and what challenges exist. Through workshops, they’ll bring together midwives, women with language support needs, and interpreters to identify problems and co-design solutions. The toolkit they create will then be tested in these hospitals to see if it improves interpreter use. Once proven effective, this toolkit will be shared with maternity services across England through midwifery leadership networks and NHS equality councils.

This research matters because clear communication is essential for safe pregnancy care, informed decision-making, and building trust between women and healthcare providers. Better interpreter use should lead to fairer outcomes for mothers and babies from all language backgrounds.

Team Contact 

Emma Victoria Shiel [emmavictoria.shiel@manchester.ac.uk]

Laura Sheard [laura.sheard@manchester.ac.uk]

Jen MacLellan [jennifer.maclellan@npeu.ox.ac.uk]