Interpreting, Communication Support and Transcription Services

Lot 1 covers the provision of comprehensive spoken face to face interpreting (simultaneous, consecutive and whispered interpreting) where an interpreter attends in person and conveys the spoken content from English into a wide range of spoken languages and dialects and from those languages and dialects into English or any other languages as requested by the Board.

Services under this lot include-

Provision of face to face interpreters at health appointments across the services outlined in the introduction section of this document (page 1) within both NHSGGC and NHS Lanarkshire

Interpreting support for informational and therapeutic group sessions

Delivery of services both during standard hours out of hours, to meet the capacity from the in house interpreting service team Additional information: The initial term of the contract is 2 years commencing 1st April 2027 with the option to extend for a maximum of 2 x 12 month periods.

Lot 2 covers the provision of British Sign Language interpretation, where the meaning of spoken English is conveyed into BSL and vice versa by an interpreter attending in person.

The services included under this lot are -

Provision of professionally qualified BSL interpreters to attend healthcare appointments and clinical interactions in person.

Services will support communication between deaf BSL users and NHS staff across all healthcare environments. The service will include:

Mental health services

Safeguarding meetings

Consent discussions

Multi-disciplinary team meetings

End of life care

Community visits Additional information: The initial term of the contract is 2 years commencing 1st April 2027 with the option to extend for a maximum of 2 x 12 month periods.

Lot 3 covers the provision of Deaf Relay Interpreting services for deaf individuals whose communication needs cannot be fully met through a standard BSL/English interpreter alone. Deaf Relay Interpreters are Deaf professionals who provide specialist communication support to ensure that information is conveyed accurately, accessibly and in a culturally appropriate manner. Additional information: The initial term of the contract is 2 years commencing 1st April 2027 with the option to extend for a maximum of 2 x 12 month periods.

Lot 4 covers the provision of International Sign Language interpretation, where the meaning of spoken language is conveyed into spoken or signed form by an interpreter attending in person. International Sign Language is intended for deaf individuals who do not use British Sign Language and may have limited proficiency in their own sign language.

Services included under this lot are

Provision of International Sign Language interpreters for health appointments across the services outlined in the introduction section of this document, covering both NHSGGC and NHS Lanarkshire

Provision of professional International Sign communication services that enable effective communication between deaf patients, carers, families, visitors and healthcare professionals where British Sign Language (BSL) is not the individual's primary signed language.

Provision of appropriately qualified International Sign interpreters to facilitate communication for deaf individuals from overseas or those whose preferred method of communication is International Sign.

Availability of the service during both core and out-of-hours periods to accommodate any additional demand beyond the capacity of the in-house interpreting service Additional information: The initial term of the contract is 2 years commencing 1st April 2027 with the option to extend for a maximum of 2 x 12 month periods.

Lot 5 covers the provision of lip-speaking, note-taking and speech-to-text reporting services for patients, carers and service users with hearing loss or other communication support needs. The service transfers spoken English into clear spoken, written or real-time text English by an appropriately qualified communication support professional attending in person, or remotely where agreed by NHSGGC or NHS Lanarkshire and clinically appropriate.

The service supports equitable access to healthcare by enabling effective communication between patients, carers, families and healthcare professionals across NHSGGC and NHS Lanarkshire. The supplier must deliver a safe, responsive, confidential and person-centred service that supports routine, urgent and emergency care requirements. Additional information: The initial term of the contract is 2 years commencing 1st April 2027 with the option to extend for a maximum of 2 x 12 month periods.

Lot 6 covers the provision of consecutive interpreting services delivered via telephone or video conferencing. Telephone and video interpreters facilitate communication by converting spoken language from one language to another, allowing both parties to understand each other effectively.

The successful supplier will provide professional consecutive interpreting services via telephone and secure video conferencing platforms that facilitate effective communication between patients, carers, families and healthcare professionals, ensuring equitable access to healthcare services and compliance with statutory obligations. Additional information: The initial term of the contract is 2 years commencing 1st April 2027 with the option to extend for a maximum of 2 x 12 month periods.

Lot 7 includes the provision of written translation services from English into the patient’s requested language, as well as from those languages into English or other languages. Translation involves converting written documents into another language in text form.

Services provided under this lot include the translation and transcription of patient information, patient records, clinical documents, patient letters, and guidance materials. Additional information: The initial term of the contract is 2 years commencing 1st April 2027 with the option to extend for a maximum of 2 x 12 month periods.