STAFF in Ipswich Hospital's A&E department are to be equipped with multilingual phrasebooks to help treat patients who cannot speak English.The Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook, has been produced by the Red Cross and will be distributed to hospitals across the country.

STAFF in Ipswich Hospital's A&E department are to be equipped with multilingual phrasebooks to help treat patients who cannot speak English.

The Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook, has been produced by the Red Cross and will be distributed to hospitals across the country.

With phrases such as "Please pass water into this container" and "Sorry, this might hurt', the aim is to let doctors and nurses talk with patients until an interpreter can be brought in.

A spokeswoman for Ipswich Hospital said: "We have a strong tradition of using interpreters within the hospital, but anything which helps us communicate better with patients is clearly welcome."

As well as providing hospital staff with a list of valuable phrase, the book will help patients communicate back with phrases such as "How long will I be waiting?" and "Am I going to be all right?"

The book is translated into 36 languages including Punjabi, Japanese, Swahili and Welsh.

The book, funded by the Department of Health and approved by the British Association of Emergency Medicine (BAEM), contains more than 60 of the most common medical questions and terms to help staff with initial assessment.

Health minister Rosie Winterton said it was an "excellent step forward" in improving the experience of patients from ethnic minorities.

"As we are seeing more and more people getting in and out of A&E within four hours, we must ensure they all receive a fair and personal level of care.

"This phrasebook provides practical support and guidance to staff, improving the quality of information provided to emergency care patients who do not speak English," she said.

PANEL - phrases

Sorry this might hurt

Limbisa ngai, oyo e kosala ka mwa pasi

Please wait

Zela

You need to stay in hospital. Please wait until there is a bed available on the ward.

E sengeli o zala hospitalise. Zela awa te mbeto e bongisama po na yo

I need to take your blood pressure

E sengali na zwa tension na yo.

Romanian

Sorry this might hurt

Scuze, s-ar putea sa va doara

Please wait

Va rog sa asteptati

You need to stay in hospital. Please wait until there is a bed available on the ward.

Trebuie sa ramaneti in spital. Va rog sa asteptati pana se elibereaza un pat in pavilion.

I need to take your blood pressure

Trebuie sa va iau tensiunea arteriala.