Stockport NHS Foundation Trust has rolled out CardMedic, a new digital healthcare communication platform, to bridge language and communication barriers for staff and patients.
“All conversations, such as asking whether someone wants a cup of tea, explaining a procedure, or offering reassurance, play a vital role in ensuring inclusivity. CardMedic enables equality across our services,” said Pam Fearns, Chief Nursing Information Officer at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust.
The platform now provides 6,300 workers with the ability to communicate with patients who face language or communication barriers.
CardMedic features live interpreters in 200+ languages including British Sign Language (BSL). It includes clinical scripts in multiple languages and formats, and easy read and read aloud options.
The system is also customisable to the patients and providers preferences, allowing them to add their own content, create shortcuts to favourite cards and adjust font sizes.
The platform offers a “Call an Interpreter” feature that is accessible on any device and location.
The devices are currently available at the patient bedside in 20 wards of Stepping Hill Hospital.
They are also available in all inpatient areas, including in emergency, maternity and acute medical units supported by digital nurses, midwives and clinical champions across the organisation.
Community staff can also use the platform, including midwives, school nurses, allied healthcare professionals, and Macmillan nurses and district nurses.
The system also can improve health literacy for same language patients by explaining health information in plain language, clearly and succinctly.
“Stockport NHS Foundation Trust has demonstrated what equitable care in action looks like. No patient will be left without a voice in their care,” said Dr Rachael Grimaldi, Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of CardMedic.
The Trust services around 300,000 people across Stockport.
The community is diverse, and the Trust has found that reliance on face-to-face interpreting has led to increasing annual costs and communication barriers that could impact patient experience and safety.
The top five non-English languages spoken in the local area are Farsi, Urdu, Arabic, Kurdish Sorani, and Cantonese. CardMedic added Kurdish Sorani to its platform for the first time to support the Trust launch.
Prior to the launch, the Trust’s Digital Skills Team led a communications campaign using the slogan, “the silent era is over.”
The Trust will continue to work with CardMedic to provide even more patients with access to language support, improve “Did Not Attend” rates and evaluate outcomes associated with the launch.