Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust launched a new video-on-demand interpreting service on 12 May 2026, providing patients and staff with near-instant access to professional interpreters at Queen Alexandra Hospital and across the trust.
The service is designed to remove language barriers for the 18,544 residents in Portsmouth who do not use English as their main language. By connecting staff to virtual interpreters within minutes, the trust aims to eliminate the long waits often associated with arranging in-person assistance, which could previously take hours or even days.
The system is available in a wide range of languages, including British Sign Language, and can be used in both clinical and non-clinical settings. Unlike telephone services, which have long been an option for staff, this new technology provides visual cues, body language, and other non-verbal communication that are essential for safe and effective healthcare.
The initiative is delivered in partnership with Dals, a provider that works with over 75 NHS Foundation Trusts across the country. According to Matt Powls, Chief Operating Officer at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, clear communication is fundamental to providing safe, compassionate, and effective care. Carlota Martínez Garrofé, Regional Account Manager at Dals, noted that the company is pleased to support the trust with this service.
This rollout follows the NHS England Improvement Framework published in May 2025, which highlighted that communication failures can lead to significant health disparities and safety risks. With Portsmouth serving a population of approximately 675,000 across the region, the trust is working to ensure that linguistic diversity—which includes growing Romanian, Polish, and Bengali-speaking communities—does not prevent patients from fully understanding their care.
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