This document outlines information on how to access interpreter services for Indigenous Australians with limited English language proficiency.
Step |
Action |
1 |
Identify and record customer's preferred spoken language + Read more ...
Tell the customer (face to face or via the telephone) an Indigenous interpreter will be used, ask them for their preferred spoken language.
Check if the customer’s need for an interpreter and their preferred language has been recorded:
Centrelink customers:
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Check the Other Contact Details (OCD) screen, in the Interpreter Language field
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If the language is not recorded, select OTH (Other) and annotate the Display on Access (DOA) DOC with the language/dialect spoken by the customer
Child Support customers
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Check the Client Profile Window
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If the language is not recorded, select OTH in the language drop down menu and select Yes in the Interpreter required drop down menu. Document in the 'Special Contact Detail' the customer's preferred language
Medicare customers
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For programs that use CDMS, check if the customer has an Interpreter language Indicator on the Sensitive Information pop up table or tab in Personal
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If not recorded, add an Interpreter language Indicator. Select:
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the record in Amend Consumer Details
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Sensitive Information tab
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Communication from the Category dropdown list
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Interpreter language from the Indicator dropdown list
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the language from the Details dropdown list
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Other Indigenous if the language is not listed, then record the language in the Comment field
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Validate, then Update
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Programs that use CDMS include:
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Medicare Public
-
Australia Immunisation Register
-
Incentives Program
-
Australian Organ Donor Register
-
Medicare Levy Exemption
-
Medicare Provider Services: claims and assessing
-
Medicare Enrolments
-
For programs that do not use CDMS (or have view only access), the customer's language does not need to be recorded
Go to Step 2.
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2 |
Establish customer's current location + Read more ...
Customers located near the Broome, Kununurra or Halls Creek service centres in Western Australia (WA) can access face to face Indigenous interpreters.
Can the customer attend the Broome, Kununurra or Halls Creek service centres?
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3 |
Block face to face Indigenous interpreters located in Broome, Kununurra and Halls Creek Service Centres + Read more ...
Appointments are not required, walk-in customers can access block face to face interpreters in:
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Broome, WA on Monday and Tuesday from 8 am to 12 noon (AWST) and can interpret:
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Kimberley Kriol
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Walmajarri
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Warlpiri
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Kununurra, WA on Monday and Tuesday from 8 am to 12 noon (AWST) and can interpret:
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Balangarri
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Gija
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Gurindji
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Jaru
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Kimberley Kriol
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Miriwoong
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Murrinh Patha
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Halls Creek, WA on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm (AWST) and can interpret:
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Djaru
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Gooniyandi
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Kija
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Kukatja
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Kimberley Kriol
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Walmajarri
Procedure ends here.
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4 |
Interpreter Connect (on-demand telephone interpreting service) + Read more ...
To access an immediate Indigenous interpreter over the telephone:
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5 |
Face to face customer requires an immediate Indigenous telephone interpreter + Read more ...
When preparing to call Interpreter Connect, staff should:
Tell the customer a telephone interpreter will be used. Ask them for their:
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Indigenous language (required)
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name, skin name, gender
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community name
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subject/topic of discussion
To connect to a telephone interpreter, use either:
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Interpreter telephony kit that has been thoroughly cleaned and quarantined for 72 hours, or
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Cisco handset
Contact Call Interpreter Connect:
If using Services Australia Workspace, with the customer on the call:
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Select the consultation button (this places the customer on hold)
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Select the star button
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Type Interpreter Services
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Interpreter Services will appear in the drop down list, press the telephone icon next to Interpreter Services to initiate the call
If using a Cisco handset, with the customer on the call:
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Press the Conference button and key in the number for Interpreter Connect via Language Services and it will automatically dial
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Follow the prompts:
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press 1, to find an on-demand interpreter
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enter the 4 digit Office ID and press #
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enter the 3 digit Language code corresponding to the language required and press #
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confirm the language selected. Press 1 if correct. Press 2 if incorrect to return to the previous selection
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Enter the required duration of the call:
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for up to 15 minutes, press 1
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for up to 30 minutes, press 2
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for up to 45 minutes, press 3
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for more than 45 minutes, press 4
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Wait while the system connects to a Language Services Booking Officer. When they answer:
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confirm the requested language
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provide the requesting officers logon ID and the customer’s details (name, skin name, community name)
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The Booking Officer will then place the call on hold, while they manually attempt to locate an interpreter. If they:
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6 |
Customer on the telephone requires an immediate Indigenous telephone interpreter + Read more ...
Preparing to call Interpreter Connect
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Staff should see Language Services, Resources page for Language Codes and Office codes
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Adhere to the Quality Call Standards throughout the call
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Read the Privacy Statement once all parties are connected
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With the customer on the call, advise a telephone interpreter will be used, ask them for their:
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Indigenous language required
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name, skin name, gender
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community name
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subject/ topic of discussion
Call Interpreter Connect.
If using Services Australia Workspace, with the customer on the call:
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select the consultation button (this places the customer on hold)
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select the star button
-
type Interpreter Services
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Interpreter Services will appear in the drop down list, press the telephone icon next to Interpreter Services to initiate the call
If using a Cisco handset, with the customer on the call:
-
select the Conference button and key in the number for Interpreter Connect via Language Services and it will automatically dial
-
Follow the prompts:
-
press 1, to find an on-demand interpreter
-
enter the 4 digit Office ID and press #
-
enter the 3 digit Language code corresponding to the language required and press #
-
confirm the language selected. Press 1 if correct. Press 2 if incorrect to return to the previous selection
-
Enter the required duration of the call:
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for up to 15 minutes, press 1
-
for up to 30 minutes, press 2
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for up to 45 minutes, press 3
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for more than 45 minutes, press 4
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Wait while the system connects to a Language Services Booking Officer. When they answer:
-
confirm the requested language
-
provide the requesting officers logon ID and the customer’s details (name, skin name, community name)
-
the Booking Officer will then place the call on hold, while they manually attempt to locate an interpreter. If they:
|
7 |
On-demand Indigenous telephone interpreter is available + Read more ...
After locating an interpreter, the Booking Officer checks the customer’s information with the interpreter to establish if a cultural conflict of interest is present. Delays may be experienced due to this process.
If a conflict is identified, the Booking Officer will attempt to source an alternate interpreter. If no conflicts are identified, the Booking Officer advises an interpreter is available and the call will be placed on hold while they connect the interpreter to the call.
Once connected to the interpreter:
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the Booking Officer leaves the call (staff member and interpreter remain on the line)
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introduce yourself to the interpreter
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ask for the interpreter’s name
When ready, join the customer to the call:
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If using Services Australia Workspace, and the customer is on the telephone, select the Call Conference icon (2 call conferences)
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If using a Cisco handset, and the customer is face to face, conference the customer's mobile telephone number (if available). To do this:
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select the Conference button
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enter 0 for an outside line
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key in the customer’s mobile number, it will automatically dial
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when the customer answers, press the Conference button again
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If using a telephone interpreter kit with an face to face customer:
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provide the customer with a clean, quarantined handset
Commence the 3-way conversation (staff member, interpreter and customer):
If the interpreter's line drops out during the call:
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remain on the call and wait for the in-call menu:
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to redial the same interpreter, press 1
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to be transferred to an operator, press 3
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If the call disconnects, call Language Services and explain what happened. Provide the customer and interpreter’s name. The Booking Officer will attempt to reconnect the call
At the completion of the call, record an Indigenous interpreter was used including their name:
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Centrelink customers: on a DOC on the customer’s record
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Child Support customers: in the communication window
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Medicare customers: under Personal Comments in the CDMS system, for the following programs:
-
Medicare Public
-
Australia Immunisation Register
-
Incentives Program
-
Australian Organ Donor Register
-
Medicare Levy Exemption
-
Medicare Provider Services: claims and assessing
-
Medicare Enrolments
-
for programs that do not use CDMS (or have view only access), the vendor number is not required to be recorded
To provide feedback, go to Step 9.
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8 |
Indigenous language interpreter is not available + Read more ...
If an Indigenous language interpreter cannot be found, tell the customer there are currently no interpreters available.
Ask the customer if they would like to:
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arrange a booked telephone interpreter request for a future time/date, for:
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speak another language available via Interpreter Connect
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continue with the interview in English - without the help of an interpreter, if they are comfortable to do so. Service Officers are responsible for evaluating if it is appropriate to continue the interview
If the customer wishes to continue in English, record all attempts to access an interpreter:
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Centrelink customers: on a DOC on the customer’s record
-
Child Support customers: in the communication window
-
Medicare customers: under Personal Comments in the CDMS system, for the following programs:
-
Medicare Public
-
Australia Immunisation Register
-
Incentives Program
-
Australian Organ Donor Register
-
Medicare Levy Exemption
-
Medicare Provider Services: claims and assessing
-
Medicare Enrolments
-
For programs that do not use CDMS (or have view only access), the vendor number is not required to be recorded
Procedure ends here.
|
9 |
Provide feedback + Read more ...
Staff are encouraged to provide feedback about their experience using interpreters. Feedback helps identify how services can be improved. Feedback can include the quality of the phone line, the interpreter's performance and professionalism, complaints, compliments, or system issues.
To provide feedback, see the Resources page, Forms (staff) > Interpreter feedback form.
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Step |
Action |
1 |
Identify the booked Indigenous interpreter appointment + Read more ...
Booked Indigenous interpreters are requested for future customer appointments (telephone, face to face or remote)
If the customer requires a booked interpreter for:
|
2 |
Record the customer’s preferred spoken language + Read more ...
Prior to arranging a booked remote servicing appointment, check if the customer's need for an interpreter and their preferred spoken language has been recorded:
Centrelink:
-
Check the Other Contact Details (OCD) screen, in the Interpreter Language field
-
If the language is not recorded, choose OTH (Other) and annotate the Display on Access (DOA) DOC with the language/dialect spoken by the customer
Child Support:
-
Check the Client Profile Window
-
If the language is not recorded, choose OTH in the language drop down menu and select Yes in the Interpreter required drop down menu. Document in the 'Special Contact Detail' the customer's preferred language
Medicare:
-
For programs that use CDMS, check if the customer has:
-
an Interpreter language Indicator on the Sensitive Information pop up table or tab in Personal Details, or
-
a language in the Language Spoken At Home (other than English) field under the Personal Details tab
-
If an Interpreter language Indicator is not showing, add one. Select:
-
the record in Amend Consumer Details
-
Sensitive Information tab
-
Communication from the Category dropdown list
-
Interpreter language from the Indicator dropdown list
-
the language from the Details dropdown list
-
Other Indigenous if the language is not listed, then record the language in the Comment field
-
Validate, then Update
-
Programs that use CDMS include:
-
Medicare Public
-
Australia Immunisation Register
-
Incentives Program
-
Australian Organ Donor Register
-
Medicare Levy Exemption
-
Medicare Provider Services: claims and assessing
-
Medicare Enrolments
-
For programs that do not use CDMS (or have view only access), the customer's language does not need to be recorded
Go to Step 3.
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3 |
Booking a remote appointment with an Indigenous interpreter + Read more ...
Booked remote appointments are generally used by the Remote Servicing team as it requires travelling to remote/extremely remote Indigenous communities.
To book a remote appointment:
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navigate to the desktop
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select the Front of House (FOH) desktop app > Home page > Interpreting Management Service (IMS) tile > Interpreting jobs > Interpreter Request
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when the 1. Interpreter Request information screen is displayed, select Step 2 button to display the General Details information screen, complete all fields:
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Organisation, select Remote Servicing
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Service Reason, select General
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Appointment Type, select OTH (Other)
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select the Step 3 button to display the Request Details screen, complete all fields:
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Language, select the Indigenous language
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Interpreting Format, select Seminar booking
for a booked telephone appointment, select Phone for a booked face to face appointment, select Face to face
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State Date and Time, select the date and time (24 hour time). For multiple days and/or sessions, create separate bookings for each day and/or session
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Duration, the length of time must be calculated and keyed in minutes
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Site:
enter the service centre where the requesting officer is located. 'Use Alternate Address', select 'Yes' and enter the address where the appointment will be conducted. Select the site based on the time zone of the community. For example, a community based in the Northern Territory uses Western Australia time, select the site located in the Western Australian zone where the appointment will be conducted. See the Resources page for site name guidance
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select Step 4 to display the Customer Details screen, complete all fields:
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Customer Details, enter Customer's CRN, full name and gender preference
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in the Additional Comments box, key the Community name (if known)
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select the Step 5 button, to display the Contact Officer Details screen
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complete all fields of the Trip Leader of the booking:
name, logon, phone, email. The Language Services Booking Officer will notify the Trip Leader of the result of the request
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select Submit
Go to Step 4.
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4 |
Confirmation of booked appointment + Read more ...
A message will appear confirming the booked remote appointment has been created. A Job confirmation number is provided.
Record the Job confirmation number:
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Centrelink customers: on a DOC on the customer’s record
-
Child Support customers: in the communication window
-
Medicare customers: under Personal Comments in the CDMS system, for the following programs:
-
Medicare Public
-
Australia Immunisation Register
-
Incentives Program
-
Australian Organ Donor Register
-
Medicare Levy Exemption
-
Medicare Provider Services: claims and assessing
-
Medicare Enrolments
-
for programs that do not use CDMS (or have view only access), the vendor number is not required to be recorded
Procedure ends here.
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