The MHRT is committed to providing fair hearings for all persons who are the subject of proceedings. All hearings are conducted in English.
If an interpreter is required for a patient/consumer, one will be arranged by the MHRT. This service is free (that is, at MHRT’s cost).
Generally, the person’s authorised mental health service will inform the MHRT if an interpreter is required. However, if you believe you need an interpreter for your hearing you can:
- let your treating team know
- let the Tribunal know – Contact Us
An MHRT panel may decide that an interpreter is required to assist them, even if the patient/consumer says that they do not require an interpreter.
All interpreters engaged by the MHRT are accredited. Friends and family of the patient/consumer will not be used as interpreters during hearings.
Ideally interpreters will be face-to-face, however, where this is not possible, interpretation services will be arranged via video conferencing or telephone.
Interpreters play an important role in hearings. They owe a duty to the MHRT to be accurate and impartial when performing their duties. This means that they must interpret what is said during a hearing exactly.
All interpreters engaged by the MHRT are expected to have read and understood the MHRT’s Information Sheet for Interpreters before providing interpreting services for the MHRT – A copy of the Information Sheet can be found below.
Hearing participants are entitled to provide feedback to the MHRT on the standard of interpreting services provided and can do so by contacting the MHRT – Contact Us
Title | Date | File Size | File Type | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Information Sheet - Interpreters appearing in Tribunal hearings | 21/4/2021 | 326.59KB |