December 27, 2000 13:28: PATIENTS who face language difficulties while visiting their GP should find life easier after Wycombe Primary Care Group (PCG) agreed to put £10,000 towards interpretation services.

Social services and health groups feel translation services are a priority throughout Buckinghamshire .

Staff at surgeries in the High Wycombe area say they need between four and 30 hours of interpretation services a week to help people during doctors' appointments and special clinics.

A new countywide interpreting support service is being organised at a cost of £90,000 and it is thought that £50,000 will come from the social services budget, who would keep the management of the service, and the other funds would come from partner agencies, including Wycombe PCG.

It was found that translators were needed for everything from Ukrainian and Punjabi to Creole and Arabic and that buying in to the county service would give access to a wider range of languages including sign language.

The PCG decided to put £10,000 towards interpretation services which would be split up to buy £4,000 worth of local interpreter services, while £4,000 would go towards the countywide service and there would be £2,000 left over as a float to be used for either service.

Sally Gleave, health improvement co-ordinator, said: "You don't want to lose existing provision which you could do putting all the money into the county services."

Some practices have said they will need the service on an ad hoc basis but members of the primary care group also pointed out the advantages of having bi or multi-lingual reception staff.

Dr Nicholas Reidy, a member of Wycombe PCG, said: "The advantage of that is the first person they see is going to speak their language."

By.Caroline Oldfield