History
HISTORY OF SOUTH WESTERN SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT HEALTH LANGUAGE SERVICES
1977 - 2015
The Health Care Interpreter Service (HCIS) was launched at Crown Street Women’s Hospital on May 23rd 1977.
The profession started when Crown Street Women’s Hospital commenced using clerks as interpreters. The Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children at Camperdown had three interpreters and King George V Memorial Hospital for Mothers and Babies had one interpreter primarily for women from the Former Yugoslavian communities.
Prior to the official launch of the service, contracted interpreters were used by Health Educators who were running programs for migrants at Baby Health Centres. These interpreters later became part of the sessional panel of interpreters in the Inner Metropolitan Region
In 1977, with the official launch of the HCIS, two teams commenced, covering twelve languages. The Health Care Interpreter Service was launched by Kevin Stewart, the Minister for Health at the time, at Crown Street Hospital. A team of 12 interpreters started and a second team of 15 started later that year.
The main office was at Crown St. Women’s Hospital with interpreter bases at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children (Camperdown), King George V Memorial Hospital, St. Vincent’s Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Women.
Official launch of the first HCIS. A team of Interpreters
attended (some still work at HCIS' today)
with Al Grasby (left centre), and
Kevin Stewart (centre), who was Minister for Health at that time.
September 1977 The National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters was established with a brief to develop professional standards and the provision of accreditation and certification for interpreters and translators.
By 1980 interpreter services extended to the whole of the Sydney
Metropolitan, Hunter and Illawarra regions. A State-wide Health Translations
Service was established by the Department of Health. This unit was later
dissolved.
1st July 1991 South Western Sydney Area Health Care Interpreter Service
commenced following a split from the Western Sydney Area Health Care Interpreter
Service. Twenty five (25) FTE interpreter positions were transferred from the
West as well as 1 coordinator and 3 FTE clerical positions.
July 1992 The after hours interpreter service which provided interpreters
for obstetric services transferred from Ethnic Obstetric Liaison Officer program
to the Health Care Interpreter Service.
August 1992 Sign Language Interpreter Services were transferred from Deaf
Society to Health Care Interpreter Service as a result of negotiations between
the Society and New South Wales Health Department.
April 1993 The After Hours Interpreter Service was extended at this time
to provide for Accident & Emergency, Intensive Care Unit, Coronary Care Unit,
Sexual Assault Service and Mental Health Extended Teams.
March 1995 South Western Sydney Area Health Translations Unit was set up
and a part-time Coordinator appointed.
June 1996 The service commenced enhancements on the computerised Health
Care Interpreter Booking System. The new system went live on 1st July 1997.
In 1998 Following the restructure of the SWSAHS organisational structure,
HCIS was relocated from Fairfield Hospital site to the Liverpool site under Area
Services.
In 1999 The Sessional Coordinator/Interpreter Educator was employed with
the aim of coordinating sessional interpreters and improving the standards and
professional development of all interpreters.
April’99 - March’00 An inpatient project trial was undertaken to improve
access of NESB patients throughout SWSAHS hospitals resulting in a very positive
feedback and outcomes.
April’99 - June’00 SWSAHS HCIS was heavily involved with Operation Safe
Haven and the service undertook responsibility for the recruitment and training
of Albanian and Timorese interpreters to meet interpreter demands for our
medical teams including the service for the treatment and rehabilitation of
torture and trauma services STARTTS.
September - October 2000 The staging of Sydney 2000, the Games of the XXVII Olympiad. For the first time, in the history of the Olympic/Paralympic Games, Health Care Interpreters were utilised in the Polyclinic. Several interpreter staff members were seconded to the Polyclinic and were based at the Olympic village.
October 2003 Cerner Pass electronic booking system commenced, allowing for better utilisation and allocation of
interpreter appointments.
September 2006 Due to the formation of Sydney South West Area Health Service (SSWAHS), Central Sydney and SWAHS Health Care Interpreter Services merged into one service.
March 2007 The service was renamed . The service continued to provide interpreting and translating services to SSWAHS and Northern and Central Networks of South East Sydney Illawarra Area Health Service.
In addition to over 100 permanent staff, the service employs approximately 450 sessional interpreters and
250 contract translators. The number of interpreters, translators, and languages vary according to demand.
March 2007 Cerner Pass electronic booking system was upgraded and commenced as one amalgamated booking system.
Two call centres based at RPAH and at Liverpool Hospital Eastern Campus merged and commenced as one call centre on 15th March 2007 based on the Liverpool Hospital Eastern Campus.
May 2007 Establishments of computerised remote agent access commenced operation allowing for HLS external locations the ability to book and access appointments into the call centre based at Liverpool Hospital Eastern Campus.
October 2007 Commencement on work to undertake a trial for video Interpreter conferencing with an identified dental chair location in the Sydney Dental Hospital.
Nov 2007 Commencement of one after hours contact phone number in place of the previously utilised two after hours contact phone numbers.
Nov 2007 Finalisation of three Cluster services and the recruitment of Cluster Managers. Clusters are arranged on service needs and geographic location comprising of Eastern Cluster which incorporates a base office at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Concord Hospital and Croydon CHC, South Eastern Cluster which incorporates a base office at Prince of Wales Hospital, Canterbury Hospital and St George Hospital, and Western Cluster which incorporates a base office at Bankstown Hospital, Fairfield Hospital and out of the call centre office Liverpool Hospital Eastern Campus.
March 2008 Finalisation of installation of a Call Centre board which
allows our call centre staff to view at ease the number of calls waiting to be
attended to as well as the time taken to answer calls.
December 2008 Base location within Prince of Wales Hospital relocated to a residential address adjacent to the hospital.
February 2009 Commenced promotional campaign of new resources and training across all health facilities and services by .
March 2009 Video Interpreter trial with Sydney Dental Hospital completed and video licences ordered.
October 2009 Workshop training undertaken which was research based on the update of Interpreting Profession.
April 2010 Launch of Guidelines Booklet for Interpreters titled "Guidelines for Interpreters on Service Provision".
June 2010 Co-hosted "Walking the tightrope to good health conference" in conjunction with NSW Refugee Health Service and SSWAHS Multicultural Health Unit.
September 2010 Establishment of 18 new Local Health Districts with SWSAHS split into three Districts being Sydney Local Health District (SLHD), Sydney South East Local Health District (Eastern Cluster) and South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD).
July 2014 Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) and South Western Sydney Local Health Districts (SWSLHD) Services split with Sydney South East Local Health District (SSELHD) Eastern Cluster remaining with SLHD.
April 2014 celebrated the 40th year of Health Language Services.
Dec 2014 installation of a new Call Centre phone system within our Liverpool Base
