AQW 48686/22-27
Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down
Tabled Date: 15/06/2026
Answered On Date: 29/07/2026
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Health whether interpreters in Health and Social Care Trusts receive (i) domestic and sexual abuse awareness training; and (ii) suicide intervention training.
Answer:
The Regional Interpreting Service managed by the Business Services Organisation (BSO) for all Health and Social Care (HSC) ensures 24 hour and 7 day interpreting support to all sectors of the HSC across Northern Ireland. Domestic abuse training has been incorporated into the Business Services Organisation (BSO) Interpreting Service 'New Interpreter Induction Programme' since 2024 and is a compulsory component for all Interpreters joining the BSO Interpreter Register. The sessions are delivered by a Domestic Abuse Safety Support (DASS) Worker, employed by Women's Aid Armagh Down - based within the Craigavon Area Hospital and Daisy Hill Hospital Sites to provide essential support for Women accessing HSC Services who are experiencing abuse. The Training aims to increase awareness & gain knowledge around indicators, types (including sexual) & effects of domestic abuse; high risk Factors; barriers to support for non-English speakers; key domestic abuse terminology; and local support services. In addition to induction training, two standalone domestic abuse awareness sessions were delivered in May 2024 and December 2024 to 22 BSO-registered Interpreters, further strengthening knowledge and awareness. Prior to 2024, Women's Aid Belfast & Lisburn delivered Domestic abuse awareness training to both new and registered BSO-Interpreters on an ongoing basis. BSO interpreters do not receive dedicated training on suicide prevention, however, Lifeline has provided a number of awareness sessions to Interpreters since it joined Belfast HSC Trust in 2018. The BSO Interpreting Service New Interpreter Induction Programme also includes a Mental Health session which provides brief coverage of this subject.
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