Multilingual Resources for Health Services

A booklet on the Irish Health Services entitled "Your Health Guide" has some very useful basic information about the Irish Health Service for people who may be new to Ireland or people whose first language is not English.

The Health Service Executive has made this booklet available on its website in several different languages. You can use the links below to read the booklet.
Arabic Czech French Mandarin Chinese
Latvian Lithuanian Polish Russian
Spanish


Emergency Hospital Visits

Some patients from the migrant community may present at hospitals or other community health settings in acute or emergency situations and not have enough English to communicate their symptoms and distress to staff. The HSE have developed Emergency Multilingual Aid Resources which assist health staff to communicate more effectively with patients. It is intended for use prior to requesting the services of an interpreter or while awaiting the interpreter's arrival. This Emergency Multilingual Aid contains guidance resources for health staff and twenty booklets with English text in parallel with the following languages: -
ArabicBosnianChinese SimplifiedChinese Traditional
CzechFrenchGermanHungarian
IrishLatvianLithuanianPashto
PolishPortugueseRomanianRussian
Slovakian

SomaliSpanishUrdu


In 2007, the HSE launched its first National Intercultural Health Strategy which was developed on foot of the National Action Plan against Racism launched by An Taoiseach in 2005. The Strategy is designed to ensure that the HSE provides a quality health service equally to all, responds appropriately to the specific health and social care needs of new and well established minority communities and is an employer of choice for many. A summary of this Strategy is available on the HSE website in the following languages: -

ChineseCzechFrench
Irish


Lithuanian
Polish
Updates to the National Intercultural Health Strategy were published in
March 2009,
September 2009,
March 2010,
September 2010 ,
March 2011, and
September 2011 and

March 2012




National Cervical Screening Programme

The National Cervical Screening Programme provides free smear tests to women aged 25 to 60. A smear test is a simple procedure that only takes minutes and is the most effective way to detect changes in the cells of the cervix that could indicate the possibility of cancer developing. To arrange a free smear test you can contact a registered smeartaker of your choice to make an appointment. If you have any questions you can call CervicalCheck on Freephone 1800 45 45 55. An information leaflet for women on the smear test is available on the CervicalCheck website in the following languages: -

ArabicFrenchGermanIrish
LatvianLithuanianMandarin ChinesePolish
Romanian


RussianSpanish

A Self Care Guide for People with Diabetes is available on the HSE website in the following languages: -

ChineseFrenchPolish
Romanian

RussianSpanish




REGISTERING THE BIRTH OF A CHILD


Registering a Birth in Ireland is available on the HSE website in the following languages: -

ArabicFrenchGermanMandarin Chinese
PolishRomanianRussianSpanish




PARENTING

In April 2007, the HSE launched a public information campaign on parenting, highlighting the importance of listening to children. The purpose was to remind parents and communities that one of the best ways to protect children and build happy, healthy family relationships, is to encourage strong two-way communication between children and adults. Their booklet on protecting children "Parents who listen, protect" is available on the HSE website. The booklet is also available in the following languages: -


ChineseFrenchIrishLatvian
LithuanianPolishRomanianRussian



You will find information on vaccinations for children at the following link:



Child with disability

Any parent of a child born after 1st June 2002 who feels that their child aged may have a disability can apply for an assessment of the child's needs. An application can also be made by a guardian. This is an assessment of the full range of the child's needs associated with his or her disability. The parent or guardian will receive an assessment report detailing the child's health and educational needs and the services required to meet those needs.

You will find leaflets on the child's rights to an assessment of disability on the HSE website in the following languages:-

FrenchIrishPolishRussian





Children's vaccinations



Links to leaflets on children's vaccinations in English, Irish, French, German, Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian and Slovak can be found at this page.



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