I have been connected with the Deaf community all my life (I am deaf myself) as a user of interpreting services, as a mentor for young Deaf people and as the leader of several charities for the Deaf. I have also consulted in the running of a small interpreting agency.
I am increasingly concerned about the situation with interpreting today – especially as it impacts on the end user: Deaf people. As an insider, the reality of how the interpreting industry works is known to me, particularly the fact that so much of what people hear about is the edited truth.
Interpreters fees being squeezed
The state of the economy, plus budget cuts in the UK has led to interpreting fees being squeezed, which in turn has led to many examples of interpreters not being paid a fair rate. Without doubt this situation must change. I am a strong supporter of interpreters receiving fair pay and there are many instances of bad practice such as unqualified interpreters being commissioned in place of appropriately experienced professionals.
All of this has a very negative impact on end users, even more so in situations such as medical appointments, in court and so on.
The main point is, why are things not improving? Is it because the interpreting world is busy fighting its ground with the purse holders who are, in turn, busy battling with budget cuts, losing focus on the end users in the process?
Let’s make change happen
Why don’t we put aside our differences and work together for the benefit of the end user? The Deaf person.
No one will benefit if the reputation of Interpreters is eroded and their fees cut to the bone, while clients work with less-qualified interpreters just to save money, and agencies continue to take unjustifiably high fees.
I can foresee a downward spiral leading to really good interpreters leaving the industry, and where will that leave the Deaf users? Some great signers are leaving the profession, and if this continues, we will be left with only sub-standard interpreters, a situation that will help no-one.
Am I painting an unnecessarily bleak picture? What are your views?
I have got some plans and ideas for improvements but what are your thoughts? I’d love to hear from interpreters, and most particularly end users. Let’s focus on moving forward, finding solutions and making change happen.
I am consulting with a number of people in the interpreting industry to move things forward, but the more people who get involved, the better the solutions.
Sadaqat Ali is a social entrepreneur who is deaf who counts among his aims improving life for deaf people. He is CEO of the Copious Rain Group , the umbrella group (pardon the pun!) for a number of companies. His aim is to identify issues and problems in communities of all types then find and implement remedies – whether that is creative, innovative or financial.
Enjoying our eggs? Support The Limping Chicken:
The Limping Chicken is the world's most popular Deaf blog, and is edited by Deaf journalist, screenwriter and director Charlie Swinbourne.
Our posts represent the opinions of blog authors, they do not represent the site's views or those of the site's editor. Posting a blog does not imply agreement with a blog's content. Read our disclaimer here and read our privacy policy here.
Find out how to write for us by clicking here, and how to follow us by clicking here.
The site exists thanks to our supporters. Check them out below:
- BSL Zone: TV programmes in BSL for the Deaf community
- Deaf Umbrella: what support is available for deaf students?
- Bellman & Symfon: home alerting solutions, including the mobile phone transceiver!
- SignVideo: Instant BSL video interpreting online
- SignHealth: check out the BSL health library
- 999 BSL: call 999 in an emergency, in BSL
- Appa: Looking for RSLIs, TSLIs and CSWs, apply here!
- Signly: Adding BSL to websites
- Signworld: Learn BSL online!
- DCAL: world-class research into deafness, cognition and language
- Action Deafness: “A Deaf-Led Charity” – interpreting & community support services
- Sign Solutions: Instant access to Interpreters, training and BSL translation nationwide
- InterpretersLive: On demand BSL video interpretation
- Lipspeaker UK: specialist lipspeaking support
- BID: Deaf services, including advice and support, interpreting, employment and letters
- Performance Interpreting: BSL interpreting at concerts
- National Deaf Children's Society: The leading charity for deaf children
bozothewondernerd
June 28, 2012
My personal pipe-dream would be for interpreters to gain professional status similar to that of doctors, lawyers, dentists and even clergy … needing to be demonstrably qualified to an accepted standard before being allowed to practise. If there were recognised standards for interpreters then a deaf person would have a negotiating position when requiring interpreting services … and could reasonably appeal if the agreed level of service was not made available for the event-in-question, be it a conference, an interview, a courtroom appearance, whatever.
I mentioned clergy deliberately – interpreters need protection in law of the kind enjoyed by doctors and priests and it needs to be a key professional standard that client confidentiality is sacrosanct.
As I said, pipe dream …
sadaqatblog
July 7, 2012
That would be a great achievement if we could see something like this. The market is quite confusing for many people. Just from recent conversations they can’t understand how this works, whats the central way of dealing with it? Has there ever been a larger collaborative effort to try and bring forces together and push for that professional status?
Rob
June 28, 2012
I use the palantypist services a lot. Currently in Court, and the last time it was bad attitude of the Court staff ie Judge and Defendant who showed no respect for the role of the interpreter.
That has to change. So I agree status of these professions should be elevated.
Already the issue of “costs” to the public purse is creeping in against me….potentially affecting me as clamiant, and benefitting the defendant who is now “wasting time” and creating even more hearings by delays and etc…..
Thats a very bad tactic to adopt against a fair hearing for the Deaf. I feel sorry for the interpreters caught in the crossfires of all these angles, budget and etc.
sadaqatblog
July 7, 2012
It would be really great to see a way in which to review clients who don’t adhere to decent standards aswell. It helps highlight good practice from both parties and I think something like that would help the best work with the best.
red
June 28, 2012
I am worried too though .I don’t know what to say as don’t know enough to suggest but we could use human rights act to set up a law in equal access? in Devon we got BSL charter that helped us the gain better access – i.e. Exeter hospitals, parents’s access to their children’s school (like parents evenings, school plays) – maybe this could help? keep us updated though.
sadaqatblog
July 7, 2012
If we could adopt that more widely I think it would be very positive, is there a way to push this further? are enough people supporting this initiative? if they aren’t then why not? don’t mind my questions but I really want to understand some of these issues in more detail so we can propose solutions to the tune of what our clients would like to hear, its more likely to get uptake and we need to find ways to work better together
Na_ta
June 28, 2012
On the other hand….interpretating services costs an absolute fortune…to the point of “rip-off”. Anything to lower the price to an affordable cost is good. If I could can an terp for less than £10 an hour – I can achieve so much more in life…..
sadaqatblog
July 7, 2012
There are a few things to consider here also,
1. if interpreters train to the level where they understand our language at a level where they can provide great access, it costs money and the issue of cost makes it harder for people to lower costs, alongside the fact of cost of living.
2. However there are lots of budgets there that can help deaf people gain access which can comfortably cover the going rate of interpreters but its all the extra costs in between that make the cost so high that we cannot afford it,
3. the budget doesn’t get used so risks being cancelled or cannot be reviewed because its too expensive and you are back to the same problem.
4. Reduced access.
Its not fair really.
Tina
June 29, 2012
One problem is lack of resources – there are not enough interpreters / palantypists in this country. I set up my own agency to address problems I encountered when booking interpreters. I’m using technology to stream speech to text services over the internet (called “remote speech to text” or “remote captions”), so for example you can have a palantypist in Germany who is listening to you in England, and the text is streamed over the internet to your smartphone or computer.
This increased availability of service for the end-user widens your choice of writer, so you can book a highly qualified writer from a wider pool, and even choose your language. Remote speech to text has been like a magic wand, it has really given me the freedom to book a good interpreter when and where I choose.
I find that too many palantypists in the UK are picking a number out of the air for their fees, and some are not properly qualified. I’ve even had a palantypist sit there and make it all up (a hearing colleague sat next to me reading her screen and told me she was doing this), I’ve had a palantypist miss out entire sentences because she couldn’t keep up, put her hands in her lap and refuse to write because they’re playing a video (where’s the access I’m paying for?!), make me wait two weeks for a transcript then charge an arm and leg for it, and get stroppy if I comment on their poor quality writing (so poor that at times I can’t make sense of what was written). It doesn’t help that BSL interpreters have started charging for the time they are travelling to an assignment. I’m totally deaf so I know exactly what it’s like to have a rubbish or unprofessional interpreter and the stress that creates. Things need to change!
sadaqatblog
July 7, 2012
Absolutely! There is a lot of this happening, and unfortunately many under qualified individuals charging qualified rates and then delivering a poor service. I booked an “interpreter” once (very early days and I was new to how the whole thing worked!) it was a very important lecture. Sat down and couldn’t understand a single word the “interpreter” was signing! It was this odd mix of hand shapes I couldn’t follow. I was gutted, I tried to give feedback and it was received really rudely. Simply left me gob smacked! I did better gesturing my way through the conference than using the support but I was gutted. Luckily enough I found ways to work around it and gain the info I needed but that said it was a huge waste of money, and of my time. There are MANY communicators that are working because of naive clients, who don’t get what the standards need to be at. Alongside the fact that many Deaf people are tired of complaining or not finding it easy enough to complain, the practice still continues. We need to almost filter this type of issue out and agree things definitely need to change!
John Walker
June 29, 2012
I published a report on the situation in Brighton and Hove city with regards to interpreter’s response to the diminished terms and conditions imposed on them by NHS Trusts. It was revealed that most interpreters consider the new terms is ‘adversely’ different from their own. This means that if they accept the offered terms and conditions, they can not longer afford to work as an interpreter and will have to consider other work.
The only people who could still afford the diminished terms from NHS, legal, pan-government contracts are people who have little regard to professional standards. I am referring to people who have low language qualifications in BSL or English, no interpreter qualification, no insurance, no CPD, no CRB checks – the people we call ‘communicators’.
If this offence persists, then we will see good interpreters disappearing with the bottom of the barrel left behind. Lets face it, we are only as good as our interpreters because poor interpreting and voice over will only lead to lower pay, less rights, less access and more exclusion.
Then, we’re stuffed.
sadaqatblog
July 7, 2012
More evidence of the continued erosion of standards that generations have worked so hard to get in place.
It feels like as a community trying to gain equal rights, we go two steps forward, and the second we take our attention to new areas that need work, your previous cause is being stampled over and ignored.
Speaking with colleagues from other disability sectors they are seeing the same things in their own ways. It’s really serious and not something we should sit back and wait around to see happen.
yourlocalcinema (@yourlocalcinema)
July 3, 2012
I put out a call for one last week, to help out before a subtitled cinema screening (Secret Cinema, Prometheus 3D – not so secret now!). I had around 50 replies, most couldn’t do it for some reason or other. Of the ones that could, £250 was the average cost, for 2 hours work. Some offered to do it for around £100, in return for a couple of tickets to the show (£35 each). In the end a local one offered to do it at no cost, as they were going to the show anyway. Derek
John Walker
July 3, 2012
Just out of curiosity, Derek, did you check their registration status with NRCPD? And did you buy the volunteer a thank you gift for their hard work?
sadaqatblog
July 7, 2012
Wow £250 for 2 hours!?!? I had to get someone to re-read the email to see what you just said. I’m not quite sure what to say to that, rather than how upsetting it is to read this. Great thing someone local was happy to interpret, but that’s really something to see!
Monkey Magic
July 3, 2012
Thanks Sadqat for being on the side of interpreters. I am an RSLI and I have worked incredibly hard to get where I am and you cannot imagine how soul destroying it is for those of us who have done what we were told, trained, qualified, registered and gained experience only to reach a point where we are not rewarded for our hard work and for developing (as many would be in their jobs) we are having our pay cut and we are being replaced with people who haven’t got a clue instead, not to mention constantly being criticised whilst firmly being stuck right in the middle of someone else’s mess. Its not a nice place to be right now.
Also, its really unhelpful to keep saying that it is the interpreters that are expensive, we need to earn a certain amount to be able to do the job – thank you John for identifying that. The squeezing of fees, by the way, is coming from non specialist interpreting agencies who have underestimated how little interpreters can work for. There are sometimes multiple subcontracting processes going on and this reduces, even further, the amount of money available to pay the person who is doing all the work – the interpreter. That’s a real waste of public money. This is why consortiums are springing up all over the place as this is the response from genuine interpreters who care about being fit and healthy to be able to provide the best possible service at the lowest price resulting in a realistic wage for what interpreters do. Also, the physical nature of BSL interpreting means that interpreters can only do a certain amount of work else they end up injured and burnt out and that is no use to anyone. I’d love to be nice and do it for a tenner but that just isn’t realistic and its also hurtful to know that interpreters are so undervalued by some.
Its true that there are some bad interpreters out there but please do not tar us all with the same brush, it is really unfair to keep making generalisations. Very few interpreters charge travel time and the majority of us are committed to high standards and enabling good access for everyone who uses interpreters and we deserve to be properly paid for what we do. At the end of the day it is a job – a very tiring one mentally and physically. I am not sure how many other people have to put up with people picking at them for what they may or may not earn and we are not the only people paid with public money from taxation that I even pay into myself.
sadaqatblog
July 7, 2012
Hi and your really welcome and its really upsetting to see this happening. There are good and bad interpreters and you are all not the same in your profession, as is the same for groups and collectives of individuals in other disciplines of work. Unfortunately there is no way of telling easily and that’s where the large brush comes out and blames all. Its not a fair way of dealing with this, but its seems to be the “quickest” thing for people to do when frustrated.
There is a massive lack of transparency in the field, and I understand why people cannot be bothered to find out. Mind you I am getting more frustrated and determined to try and work an understanding of this, but not everyone has that interest or energy because its such a mess.
What we notice increasingly in the borough I work in, when engaging with a council to book interpreters, they eventually say they couldn’t find anyone and give up. So I asked someone I work with to try and find out what happened. After a conversation what she found was the following:
1. The client was busy and wanted to sort something out, was keen to but had a small amount of time to get it done.
2. So they find a lot of agencies are available to help
3. Each one comes back with a different price
4. Then they hear about registered bodies to call interpreters directly, (they don’t get how that works)
5. They can’t be bothered to call everyone individually
6. Resorted back to the agency, by now time was too tight
7. Got a quote larger than initially anticipated
8. They said they couldn’t afford it
9. Agency drastically reduces the cost to as low as £25 per hour!!!
10. 24 hours before the booking the interpreter “allegedly cancels”
11. New quote submitted, with new add on’s of last minute admin, he wouldn’t reveal the price but said it was nearing 4 times the previously quoted hourly rate, not including VAT and their admin charges (which were bumped up further because of the last minute request hmmmm)
12. Result, waste of time, effort and cancelled the interpreter as it couldn’t be afforded. On the day they notified the Deaf person they couldn’t unfortunately participate because they couldn’t get anyone
When I heard the price quoted I knew they couldn’t honor it, as it didn’t make sense. This example is not uncommon. Its manipulative and unfortunate, and it will happen more and more that clients won’t bother with arranging access as “it takes too much time”.
Meanwhile good practice is vanishing and good language professionals are leaving. Results, unhappy language provider has to leave to new profession, unhappy Deaf person has to get either no access or very bad access, middle man, unaffected.. that said the way things are changing I don’t think it will continue.
We must find a way to resolve this.
Lana
July 5, 2012
I do not understand why some Deaf complain how expensive the qualified interpreters are? But they do not attack other professionals like Solicitors, private health treatments, Deaf Lecturers and even hairdressers for their expensive fees.
sadaqatblog
July 7, 2012
I think because so much of the blame has been shifted onto the interpreters its opened up the subject for scrutiny, whereas a clear understanding of the market is not being provided so I think its the natural order of investigation from service users. That said more needs to be exposed and clarified, solutions need to be presented and standards need to be set. Something to help make the whole thing clearer.
Shane Gilchrist
December 12, 2012
Sadaqat: then I think we need to adopt the Dutch system. Sign language interpreters are paid separately from spoken language interpreters. Recently there was a big budget cut on spoken language interpreters used in health etc whereas the money earmarked for sign language interpreting wasnt even touched as its protected (but in what way, I am not 100% sure as its part of my research work). One real plus is that deafies books terps themselves, not the agencies – interpreting agencies doesn’t really exist in Holland apart from Tolknet (that is used by hearies/deafies who dont know how to book freelancers)
BSL interpreter payment system in the UK is in need of serious reform…the present system isn’t working anymore – and its affecting deaf clients and terps themselves 🙁