Job summary We are a service that works with people from the ethnic minority communities and vulnerable groups in Tower Hamlets to help them access the services provided by Tower Hamlets GP Care Group through local General Practice (GPs), Community Nursing and Pharmacies. As part of Tower Hamlets GP Care Group, we work to improve positive consultation outcomes for patients, through acting as a bridge between patients who don't speak English and vulnerable groups and the services that provide primary health care. We are looking to add to our bank of sessional health care Zero Hours Interpreters to work closely with our existing team of permanent staff. The work will be occasional only and often for a couple of hours at a time, Monday to Saturday any time. Russian Portuguese Albanian Romanian Polish Mandarin/Cantonese Amharic Turkish/Kurdish Chinese Arabic Farsi Bengali/Sylhet-Male Ukrainian If you speak other languages, you are welcome to write to us expressing an interest in being considered. Main duties of the job The role of an Interpreter is to use the knowledge of their languages to help people communicate with one another, despite language barriers. Their duties include traveling with clients to assist them in communicating with those who speak different languages, translating spoken presentations or speeches for multilingual audiences and helping translate spoken words into written messages. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. About us Tower Hamlets GP Care Group (The Care Group) was incorporated as a community interest company limited by shares in September 2014. Every general practice in Tower Hamlets owns one share of £1. The Care Group was formed to manage borough level contracts on behalf of the practices, deliver primary care led services and support general practices, and to be the provider voice of primary care in the wider health and social care system. Read up more about Tower Hamlets GP Care Group, click here: https://www.gpcaregroup.org/ The Care Group is also a member of Tower Hamlets Together, a place-based integrated partnership, which includes Bart's Health, East London NHS Foundation Trust, the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and the Council for Voluntary Services. Click here to know more about Tower Hamlets Together partnership- https://www.towerhamletstogether.com/ The key priorities for the Care Group are: Innovation and support for primary care Being a great place to work Integrating primary and community care Providing of high-quality cost-effective care to local people Influencing improvements in health outcomes Date posted 16 April 2025 Pay scheme Other Salary £18.85 an hour Contract Bank Working pattern Part-time, Job share, Flexible working, Compressed hours Reference number E0136-25-0024 Job locations Island Health 145 East Ferry Road London E14 3BQ Job description Job responsibilities Responsibilities To interpret accurate conversations between healthcare providers and non-English speaking clients. To ensure clear and effective communication in medical settings. Maintain patient confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion. Interpret in various settings, including homes, clinics, and General Practices. Provide interpreting in person, over the phone, or via video conferencing. Stay up to date with medical terminology and healthcare practices. Maintain accurate records of interpreting sessions. Support and assist with the translation of basic written materials as may be needed. Facilitate communication during patient education sessions. Participate in training and professional development opportunities. Ensure compliance with all relevant laws and regulations. Requirements Fluency in English and at least one other language. Strong understanding of medical terminology and healthcare practices. Excellent listening and speaking skills. Cultural sensitivity and the ability to remain neutral and impartial. Previous experience in healthcare interpretation is preferred. Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion. Strong commitment to patient confidentiality. Excellent organizational and record-keeping skills. Ability to work in various healthcare settings. Knowledge in using information technology. Strong interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to work independently and as part of a team. Flexibility to work different shifts, including evenings and weekends. Certification in healthcare interpretating preferred. Strong problem-solving skills and attention to details. To interpret accurately during consultations between Health Professionals and patients. To relay to the Health Professionals any other issues raised by the client during the consultation, ensuring that the client receives the required support. To carry out basic written translation, when it is part of communication with patients assisting the Health Professional. Clinical governance To have an awareness of identification of vulnerable children and adults who may be Subject to abuse, and to follow GP Care Group Child and Adult Protection procedures and guidelines, referring any concerns to the health care professional. To participate in quality improvement e.g. through use of Essence of Care quality benchmarking and standards. To report all untoward accidents or incidents promptly and, when necessary, co-operate with any investigation undertaken. To consider clinical and non-clinical risk management in all day-to-day work, adhering to policies aimed at minimising risks. To have responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of self and others and to comply at all times with individual responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act. This includes identifying and reporting any potential hazards in the environment. To participate in the GP Care Group appraisal process and the development of a personal development plan and take responsibility for ensuring own professional development. To undertake relevant training, and ensure own skills and knowledge are up to date. To participate in regular one-to-one supervision with manager. To work at all times within the policies, procedures and guidelines of the GP Care Group. Communication To interact sensitively with Clients of different ages in an empathetic manner. To use listening skills to reassure confidence, during the consultations between clients and Health Professionals. To provide an effective interpreting service for clients. To provide basic written translations of information when required. To work as a member of the Tower Hamlets Advocacy & Interpreting team, promoting effective communication within the team. To use computer systems, including Word and E-mail, MS Teams and Sesui for effective service information management. To attend service meetings as may be required in order to keep up-to-date with service and organisation changes, including individual meetings with Service Manager and Team Meetings. Information To share information with Health Professionals about clients requirements so that health needs can be identified and appropriate changes made in order to provide a more responsive and effective service. To respect patient confidentiality and, in particular, the confidentiality of electronically stored personal data in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998. To provide activity information as required for service performance monitoring and evaluation. To participate in project data collection activities. To participate in and support health surveys and profiling of health needs with minority ethnic communities. Effort To maintain a high level of mental focus during individual or group consultations and case conferences as an interpreter. To be able to manage in situations where a family member may become verbally or physically aggressive. To ensure staff and patient safety and to comply with relevant GP Care Group policies. To assess risk and act appropriately. To interact sensitively with clients, who may be distressed, or having to deal with difficult information, e.g. relating to a childs diagnosis, palliative care, domestic violence etc. To be able to travel between base and homes, surgeries, clinics and schools as required. Including remote working. Job description Job responsibilities Responsibilities To interpret accurate conversations between healthcare providers and non-English speaking clients. To ensure clear and effective communication in medical settings. Maintain patient confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion. Interpret in various settings, including homes, clinics, and General Practices. Provide interpreting in person, over the phone, or via video conferencing. Stay up to date with medical terminology and healthcare practices. Maintain accurate records of interpreting sessions. Support and assist with the translation of basic written materials as may be needed. Facilitate communication during patient education sessions. Participate in training and professional development opportunities. Ensure compliance with all relevant laws and regulations. Requirements Fluency in English and at least one other language. Strong understanding of medical terminology and healthcare practices. Excellent listening and speaking skills. Cultural sensitivity and the ability to remain neutral and impartial. Previous experience in healthcare interpretation is preferred. Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion. Strong commitment to patient confidentiality. Excellent organizational and record-keeping skills. Ability to work in various healthcare settings. Knowledge in using information technology. Strong interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to work independently and as part of a team. Flexibility to work different shifts, including evenings and weekends. Certification in healthcare interpretating preferred. Strong problem-solving skills and attention to details. To interpret accurately during consultations between Health Professionals and patients. To relay to the Health Professionals any other issues raised by the client during the consultation, ensuring that the client receives the required support. To carry out basic written translation, when it is part of communication with patients assisting the Health Professional. Clinical governance To have an awareness of identification of vulnerable children and adults who may be Subject to abuse, and to follow GP Care Group Child and Adult Protection procedures and guidelines, referring any concerns to the health care professional. To participate in quality improvement e.g. through use of Essence of Care quality benchmarking and standards. To report all untoward accidents or incidents promptly and, when necessary, co-operate with any investigation undertaken. To consider clinical and non-clinical risk management in all day-to-day work, adhering to policies aimed at minimising risks. To have responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of self and others and to comply at all times with individual responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act. This includes identifying and reporting any potential hazards in the environment. To participate in the GP Care Group appraisal process and the development of a personal development plan and take responsibility for ensuring own professional development. To undertake relevant training, and ensure own skills and knowledge are up to date. To participate in regular one-to-one supervision with manager. To work at all times within the policies, procedures and guidelines of the GP Care Group. Communication To interact sensitively with Clients of different ages in an empathetic manner. To use listening skills to reassure confidence, during the consultations between clients and Health Professionals. To provide an effective interpreting service for clients. To provide basic written translations of information when required. To work as a member of the Tower Hamlets Advocacy & Interpreting team, promoting effective communication within the team. To use computer systems, including Word and E-mail, MS Teams and Sesui for effective service information management. To attend service meetings as may be required in order to keep up-to-date with service and organisation changes, including individual meetings with Service Manager and Team Meetings. Information To share information with Health Professionals about clients requirements so that health needs can be identified and appropriate changes made in order to provide a more responsive and effective service. To respect patient confidentiality and, in particular, the confidentiality of electronically stored personal data in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998. To provide activity information as required for service performance monitoring and evaluation. To participate in project data collection activities. To participate in and support health surveys and profiling of health needs with minority ethnic communities. Effort To maintain a high level of mental focus during individual or group consultations and case conferences as an interpreter. To be able to manage in situations where a family member may become verbally or physically aggressive. To ensure staff and patient safety and to comply with relevant GP Care Group policies. To assess risk and act appropriately. To interact sensitively with clients, who may be distressed, or having to deal with difficult information, e.g. relating to a childs diagnosis, palliative care, domestic violence etc. To be able to travel between base and homes, surgeries, clinics and schools as required. Including remote working. Person Specification Skills and Abilities Essential Competent IT and keyboard skills - able to use email, clinical databases, word processing; or willing to learn. Experience Essential Experience in paid or unpaid community/advocacy work, preferably in the health and social fields. Skills and Abilities Essential Good written and verbal communication skills in English. Qualifications Essential Educated to GCSE level, including English and a community language. Qualifications Essential Completion of an interpreting course. Person Specification Skills and Abilities Essential Competent IT and keyboard skills - able to use email, clinical databases, word processing; or willing to learn. Experience Essential Experience in paid or unpaid community/advocacy work, preferably in the health and social fields. Skills and Abilities Essential Good written and verbal communication skills in English. Qualifications Essential Educated to GCSE level, including English and a community language. Qualifications Essential Completion of an interpreting course. Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. Employer details Employer name Tower Hamlets GP Care Group Address Island Health 145 East Ferry Road London E14 3BQ Employer's website https://www.gpcaregroup.org/section/387/Home (Opens in a new tab)