Producing translations in Health and Social Care
Guidance for Staff
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Producing translations in Health and Social Care
Introduction
Health and Social Care (HSC) organisations are committed to making
information as accessible as possible. The decision to produce materials
in alternative languages or formats and the cost and procurement of
these is the responsibility of the relevant project lead.
Translation
Translation is the transfer of meaning from information written in one
language to another. In order to procure written translations Health and
Social Care organisations have access to a regional contract that has
been set up by the Business Services Organisation Procurement and
Logistics Service (PaLS) called the Provision of interpreting and
translation services framework no: 8723.
Written translation is provided under Lot 3 of this priced framework with
three approved suppliers: Prime Productions, The Big Word and The
Language Room. The other two lots in the contract are Lot 1 – Face to
face interpreting and Lot 2 – Telephone interpreting.
NOTE: Under the European charter for Regional or Minority languages
HSC organisations have an obligation to receive requests and
applications in Irish and Ulster Scots, but are not obliged to acknowledge
or reply in Irish or Ulster Scots although it is encouraged to do so.
Translations for Irish are covered under the framework no: 8723 and the
suppliers have said they will try to provide translations for Ulster Scots if
needed. If they cannot, the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
should be able to provide a contact for procuring Ulster Scots
translations through their Operations Branch on 028 90515058 or email
translations@dcalni.gov.uk
The contract can operate under a number of options, which are
described in the framework no: 8723 as option 1, 2a and 2b. The
process below describes procuring translations under option 1, which
involves selecting the supplier offering the best value for money for the
written translation/s required.
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1.
Agree the languages needed.
2.
Obtain the final version of the document to be translated.
You should format the documents exactly as you require the
translated document to appear, unless you have opted for
advanced typesetting. For advanced typesetting, you will
need to send the artwork to the translation company (the
communications team can advise). You should highlight any
text that you do not want translated and ask the supplier to
remove the highlight in their final version. This would include web
addresses, addresses and names of organisations. It is also
advisable to have the exact title in English and state the language
so health professionals can identify the correct translation, for
example ‘Portuguese translation of (title…)’. Please note with
Chinese languages, Cantonese in written form is called Chinese
complex and Mandarin in written form is called Chinese
simplified. If you are translating a letter you could consider adding
the language it is translated into within ‘our reference’.
3.
Obtain a word count. This can be done by copying the text into
Microsoft word. The word count appears on the bottom left or in
the toolbar under the proofing section of the review tab. If you
convert from a PDF to a word document you will need to ensure
all text has been copied over, as the design of the original
document may mean the automated process omits some text
because it considers it to be a graphic.
4.
Decide on the type of written translation and typesetting you
require.
Type of translation

Type 1 basic written translation – translation of materials
targeted at service users in general, such as letters or
leaflets on services, which contain only a few medicallyspecific terms.

Type 2 technical /medical/social care specific written
translation – translation of medically specific documents,
such as leaflets on health promotion or health protection
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issues or medical records, which contain a significant amount
of medically specific terms (more than 10% of total word
count). It also includes complex social care reports that may
be used in court cases.
Typesetting

Basic typesetting – this will reflect the basic typesetting of the
source document, that is paragraph breaks, headings, subheadings, bullet points, punctuation, simple tables.

Advanced typesetting – in addition to basic typesetting this
will be typeset in a print-ready state to reflect the design of
the original document and supplied as finished artwork, such
as health promotion leaflet fully designed with images and so
on.
A
B
C
D
5.
Type of
translatio
n
Type 1
Type 1
Type 2
Type 2
Typesetting
Basic
Advanced
Basic
Advanced
Price the job, according to the type of translation and
typesetting, from the framework no: 8723 spread sheet. Each
supplier has listed the cost of the four possible combinations of
translation type and typesetting, as sections A-D, on their
worksheet in the framework spread sheet.
A spread sheet, for use within the organisation, has been set up
where requisitioners of translations can insert the number of
words opposite each language required (in the appropriate
section A-D) for each of the three suppliers and a formula has
been added to the adjacent rows to calculate the cost.
6.
After deciding on the supplier offering the best value for
money you can contact them to see if they can do the job.
You must use the ‘Job specification form’ and send it along
with the document to be translated – see point 2 above. In the
form you will need to set a deadline for completion of the job –
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this should be specified as the number of days to complete
translations following issue of purchase order by PaLS
e-procurement system. Under the contract, suppliers must
respond to your request in a set time (depending on the
typesetting required) to confirm whether they can do the job. If
they cannot do the job, you can move to the next cheapest
supplier on the framework.
7.
Before the supplier starts the translation you must raise a
request for the non-catalogue item on the e-procurement
system, so that a purchase order is issued. The requisitioner
must:
 state the contract reference number (8723) in the summary
line of the free text requisition.
 attach the ‘Job specification form’ and calculation of costs
(showing rates chosen) to the requisition on the system.
 use the account code that has been set up for translation
services (650B4220) to enable monitoring of expenditure on
translations.
 ensure the approver approves the non-catalogue item so
there are no delays with it being sent to PaLs.
8.
Requisitioners should check the e-procurement system
regularly to see when the purchase order is issued, and
when the supplier can begin the job. This should take around
three to five days but if it is urgent the requisitioner can contact
their PaLS office to see if it can be done more quickly. Please
note suppliers are notified of purchase orders directly from PaLS.
9.
Upon receipt of the final translation(s) the project lead
should check the documents to ensure the specification has
been followed before the requisitioner receipts the job on the
e-procurement system by completing a goods receipt note
(GRN). You should carry out a basic quality-assurance check.
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Version 1.0
Guidance produced by members of the regional Accessible
Formats Steering Group
September 2013
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