NHS runs up £80million bill on translators for patients who don't speak English in just five years

Health chiefs person spent astir £80 cardinal connected connection and translation services since 2020 for patients who don't talk English.

The figures travel aft it emerged past period that the Department for Work and Pensions was spending £8 cardinal annually connected translators for 90 antithetic languages.

And successful the past 5 years, much than 300 translation contracts worthy £403 cardinal person been awarded crossed the nationalist sector, including by the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office.

John O'Connell, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Taxpayers volition beryllium mislaid for words astatine however overmuch is being spent connected translation. 

'With grounds waiting times for ambulances and A&E, it's captious that arsenic overmuch wealth arsenic imaginable is freed up to tackle the backlogs successful the NHS. Trusts should look to chopped costs by making much usage of ready-translated worldly and pooling resources.'

NHS England spent an mean of £15.8 cardinal a twelvemonth connected services successful the past 5 years, including face-to-face mentation and translation and transcription, according to authorities contracts.

Since the pandemic, the wellness work has spent £78.9 cardinal connected specified contracts, with the largest yearly 1 worthy £19.5 million.

Jason Brown, laminitis of The Waste Files which exposes authorities spending, said: 'People volition beryllium gobsmacked truthful overmuch of their hard earned wealth is being spent connected translation services by the NHS.

'With waiting lists inactive acold excessively long, grounds waiting times successful A&E and millions incapable to spot a GP, ministers and wellness bosses request to deliberation astir diverting this spending to the frontline.

'This is not conscionable a occupation for the NHS – crossed the nationalist sector, hundreds of millions has been spent connected translation services. 

'With the satellite a much unsafe place, the Government should look astatine utilizing this backing to boost the defence budget.'

A Department of Health spokesperson said: 'This spending includes services to marque definite the hard of proceeding and unsighted radical tin entree the NHS. We are making definite each penny is good spent.'

An NHS spokesperson said: 'Translation and mentation services are a ineligible request and indispensable to present effectual and harmless diligent care.

'It is close the NHS offers these services for those who request them, including translations, motion connection and documents.'