What you need to know if you have a healthcare appointment and do not speak Dutch
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Do you have a healthcare appointment and do not speak Dutch? Then you may bring your own interpreter or acquaintance to translate your conversation. You can also use an official interpreter. Read more about this in this article.
You can use an interpreter during your appointment
Do you not yet speak Dutch well and have an appointment with the doctor, psychologist, midwife, dentist or at the hospital? Then the doctor can use an interpreter. This interpreter is free of charge for you. An interpreter allows you and the doctor to understand each other better.
Tell them you need an interpreter when you make the appointment. You can also indicate whether you would prefer a man or a woman as an interpreter. The doctor then makes the appointment with the interpreter service. At the time of the appointment, the doctor calls the interpreter. The interpreter translates the conversation over the phone. In difficult situations or problems, an interpreter may also be present during the conversation. The doctor decides if this is necessary. There are doctors who do not want to arrange an interpreter or do not know how to do so. You can then point them to the leaflet 'Zo schakelt u een tolk in' (how to use an interpreter).
You may bring an adult acquaintance or family member to translate
You can also choose to bring an adult acquaintance or family member to translate.
You can use a translation app during your appointment
Can you not manage to arrange an interpreter? Then you can always use a translation app as well.
Translating a website or text with Google
Google allows you to translate text into your own language in two ways.
1. Via the Google Chrome browser
Open the web page you want to read with Google Chrome.
Click the three dots that appear at the top or bottom right of your screen.
Then tap 'translate'. Choose the language you want the page translated into. Please note: Are you visiting a website that is already available in your language? Then do not use the translation option in your browser. For example, for RefugeeHelp, you do not need a translation option.
2. Via the Google Translate app
With the 'Google Translate' application, you can translate a text by taking a picture of it or by pointing your camera at it. This way you can translate letters or other texts into a language of your choice. This works as follows:
Open the 'Google Translate' app and click on camera at the bottom right.
Choose the language in which the text is written and the language in which you want the text translated.