Illawarra Health Care Interpreter Service

The Health Care Interpreter Service (HCIS) provides interpreter services for people accessing inpatients units, outpatient clinics and for home visits.

The HCIS assists patients/clients who do not speak English, have limited English, or are Deaf, to have access to public health services by providing a free, professional and confidential interpreting service.

We can provide interpreters in most community languages, including AUSLAN (Australian Sign Language) for people who are Deaf.

We cover the Illawarra Shoalhaven as well the Murrumbidgee and Southern NSW Local Health Districts (MLHD & SNSWLHD).

Our services

• Face to Face Interpreting (for individuals)
• Telephone interpreting, for rural areas in particular
• Videoconference Interpreting (where available).

Other services offered include:

• Interpreting for groups e.g. health promotion sessions
• Written translations of documents essential for patient/client care (dependant on availability of resources)
• Training of health care workers on how to work with interpreters
• Training of university students on how to work effectively with interpreters.