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Provincial Language Service

The Provincial Language Service provides interpreting and translation services to BC health authorities and private physician offices.
What we do

We help organizations provide services to their linguistically and culturally diverse clients including immigrants, refugees, official minority language speakers and members of the deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing community through high-quality interpreting and translation.

 
PLS grew out of the Office for Cross-Cultural Care and Diversity (OCCC). The OCCC provided culturally and linguistically appropriate services at BC Children’s Hospital, Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children and BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre. 

In 2003, the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) created PLS so all PHSA programs and other B.C. health care organizations could benefit from these specialized language services.


 

At Provincial Language Service, quality assurance is a multi-level process embedded in all aspects of our service delivery. Our processes contribute to a culture of continuous improvement of our services and organization.


Provincial Language Service adheres to strict policies and procedures on professional conduct. Any complaint or incident regarding an interpreter, health care program, external customer or Provincial Language Service staff member is documented, investigated and tracked.


Interpreter incident reporting process


In fall 2016, the Provincial Language Service (PLS) initiated a review of the Medical Interpreting Service which provides American Sign Language interpreting for deaf patients to ensure it was best meeting the needs of its stakeholder. A summary report of the findings has been prepared, and PLS is currently reviewing the report recommendations and determining next steps. Any change to the service will include outreach to the deaf community.


 

PLS is connected to community-based agencies and programs across British Columbia. These partnerships allow PLS to harmoniously connect expertise in service delivery with the specific needs of the local community.

 
Our highly qualified language and customer service specialists have many years of experience working across language and cultures in: 

  • Project management
  • Linguistics
  • Business administration
  • Communications
  • Other related areas


 
More interpreters hired to meet needs of new refugees

In response to Canada’s support of the Syrian refugee crisis, PLS hired and trained additional interpreters dedicated to languages spoken by refugee populations.


Healthy Living guide translation

PLS Translation Services translated a BC Mental Health & Subtance Use Services' popular healthly living guide, Healthy Living...It's in Everyone. The French toolkit is available in print or online to BC families, as well as organizations serving BC's francophone families.


 

The Language Access policy directs PHSA staff on the appropriate use of language services to reduce or eliminate language barriers to optimize the delivery of safe and equitable care. 


Please view the policy by visiting Policies & Procedures under the Workplace Resources section on the PHSA POD intranet site. Note, access to POD is only available from a computer on the appropriate network.


 

We collect your personal information as authorized under section 26(c) of the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act ("FIPPA") to provide interpreting services to you. We collect your name, address, telephone number and purpose of visit. If you have questions or concerns about how your information is collected or used, you may contact:


Provincial Language Service

Phone number: 604-297-8400

Email: pls@phsa.ca

Content

 

We give high priority to quality assurance and your feedback is important to us. 


Interpreting or translation services: send questions, feedback and concerns to plsqualityassurance@phsa.ca. We are committed to constant improvements in service delivery to all our customers.

Provincial Language Service adheres to strict policies and procedures on professional conduct. Any complaint or incident regarding an interpreter, health care agency, external customer or Provincial Language Service staff member is documented, investigated and tracked: Interpreter incident reporting process.


PHSA facilities: contact the Patient Care Quality Office if your feedback is related to PHSA facilities, staff or services outside of interpreting and translation services.



In the community

Provincial Language Service is committed to providing top-quality language services for people who are accessing health care services across BC.

We believe in building stronger connections and being involved in the delivery of language services (interpreter, translation and services to Francophones) to improve equitable access, and we have been actively engaging with community members to better understand their current needs. 

American Sign Language

Earlier last year, PLS put out a call for applications to community advisor roles supporting Sign language interpretive services. We are excited to announce that the Community Advisory Group (CAG) for the Provincial Medical Sign Language Interpreting Service has been established.

In addition, a new application that allows staff to access Video remote Medical Interpreting services is being deployed across the lower Mainland Health Authorities. Some clinical area already have access to this service. 

BC paramedics can now connect Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing patients with live American Sign Language (ASL) video interpreters using their BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) issued iPhones.

For more details, paramedics should connect with their team leads. If you have any questions or feedbacks you can contact us at pmslis@phsa.ca


Join us
PLS welcomes qualified language professionals to join our team. We offer competitive contracts to our freelance interpreters and translators. As a PLS contractor you will have access to several benefits.

Interpreters 

Benefits:
  • Connection with a network of professionals like yourself
  • Competitive rates
  • Support from PLS Staff
  • Technology to support coordination of your assignments
  • Liability coverage
  • Ongoing professional development opportunities

If you are interested in sending your resume to The Provincial Language Service please email plsapplications@phsa.ca. 

Provincial Language Service (PLS) is looking to expand their team in the Fraser Valley and East Fraser Valley areas. Searching for experienced professional interpreters to join our roster of freelance interpreters. View recruitment posting Here.

Requirements:

Translators 

Requirements: 
(one of the following)
  • Hold a certification or is a membership or accredited translator of an accreditation body
  • Hold a bachelor degree for a language related program and have completed at least 30 translation projects in the past 3 

Other language professionals 

PLS engages other language professionals on a contract and as-needed basis. These include bilingual desktop publishers, graphic designers and voice-over talents. To be considered for future contracts, please send a cover letter and your resume by email. 

Feedback

We give high priority to quality assurance and your feedback is important to us. 

Interpreting or translation services: send questions, feedback and concerns to plsqualityassurance@phsa.ca. In your email please provide your name, contact information and brief description of the incident. We are committed to constant improvements in service delivery to all our customers.

Provincial Language Service adheres to strict policies and procedures on professional conduct. Any complaint or incident regarding an interpreter, health care agency, external customer or Provincial Language Service staff member is documented, investigated and tracked: Interpreter incident reporting process.


PHSA facilities: contact the Patient Care Quality Office if your feedback is related to PHSA facilities, staff or services outside of interpreting and translation services. 

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