Listening to the patient

Such is the rich diversity of culture in Britain today, that it is likely that most doctors will at some time use the services of an interpreter. It is likely that psychiatry relies most on the effective use of interpreters—after all, language and communication are essential components of a psychiatrist's trade.

Although the advantages of having an interpreter are obvious, there are also pitfalls. For instance, certain words and sentences in different languages may not bode …