How to request an NHS interpreter for a GP or hospital appointment

Katerina Galkina · EN · 07/10/2026

Tell the service when booking if you cannot discuss your health accurately in English. Do not wait for a complex procedure or try to conduct the entire appointment through a child. The NHS recommends asking your hospital or surgery for an interpreter or communication support in advance. See NHS appointment preparation ↗.

Specify the language and format you need

On the telephone or appointment form, say: “I need a Russian interpreter for my appointment.” Give the language, date, location and appointment type. Specify another language or dialect accurately where necessary. Ask for the need to be recorded and checked when you are referred to another service.

Ask whether interpreting will be in person, by telephone or by video. For a telephone appointment, clarify who will arrange the connection. Mention a preferred interpreter gender or any conflict of interest beforehand; availability of a particular person cannot be guaranteed. Request confirmation of the interpreter booking alongside your appointment time.

Who arranges interpreting and what does it cost?

The published NHS England primary-care interpreting guidance ↗ provides for the provider to arrange professional interpreting free at the point of delivery. Patients should not be asked to pay for or supply their own interpreter for this NHS care. This guidance is not a promise of every language or an in-person interpreter without advance booking.

At hospital, contact the service providing the appointment; arrangements differ between trusts. For example, Guy's and St Thomas' asks for as much notice as possible ↗ and provides in-person, telephone and video support. Private consultations have their own terms: check interpreting arrangements and charges with the private provider before paying.

Prepare for the interpreted consultation

Write down your two or three main questions, medicine list and symptom timeline. Speak directly to the clinician in short phrases and allow time for interpreting. If something is unclear, ask for repetition or an explanation in ordinary language. Before finishing, repeat the plan in your own words: what to do, when results are expected and whom to contact if you deteriorate.

An interpreter facilitates communication and is bound by confidentiality requirements; they do not choose treatment or replace the clinician. A relative or friend can attend for support if you wish, but professional interpreting matters for accurate discussion of consent, medicines and sensitive issues. NHS England guidance strongly discourages reliance on untrained acquaintances; children should not act as routine medical interpreters.

If the interpreter is absent or communication is inaccurate

Tell the clinician or reception immediately that you do not understand. Ask them to check the booking and whether telephone interpreting is available. Do not agree to an unclear plan simply to finish the appointment: ask the team to explain a safe next step. If care is urgent, seek clinical assessment while explaining the language barrier separately.

Record the date and problem. At hospital, contact PALS ↗; at a GP surgery, contact the practice manager. If unresolved, follow the NHS England complaints process ↗. Explain which arrangements or communication failed and what needs putting right.

Getting urgent help

When calling NHS 111, ask for an interpreter: the NHS instructions expressly provide for this ↗. Do not delay an urgent call while searching for a Russian-speaking doctor. This article describes NHS arrangements in England; check booking procedures with your service elsewhere in the UK. Checked on 7 October 2026.