Language services specialist unveils Lingo2Go® to Chamber Expo delegates after rave reviews from health professionals

AaGlobal Language Services has been using the equipment in the region’s GP surgeries, hospitals and other NHS centres to connect health professionals with interpreters worldwide.

Nikki Malecka, Interpreting department manager at AaGlobal, said the kit has become so popular that staff at one practice even gave it a name.

Nikki said: “They called it Gladys, and they didn’t want to part with her at the end! They found her very useful in the practice reception and in maintaining a personal approach between GPs and their patients.”

Lingo2Go® consists of a tablet on a trolley, complete with a speaker, and uses medical grade technology. Many of the features are driven by technology which AaGlobal’s in-house team have developed themselves, making it bespoke to the company’s clients and building confidence that it can be adapted to meet the needs of businesses in a wide range of sectors.

In a medical scenario, Lingo2Go® has proved particularly useful in enabling patients to include relatives around the world in discussions about such matters as diagnoses and treatment options.

Nikki said: “The feedback indicated that Lingo2Go® provided significant support to administrative and clinical teams. It greatly improved the patient experience, especially for those facing language barriers.

“Patients reported feeling more comfortable and less agitated and they found communication easier and less frustrating compared to waiting for phone-based interpretation services. Being able to offer video interpretation on the spot gave the medical teams confidence, knowing they could meet the patients’ needs quickly and effectively, and that contributed to more efficient and compassionate care.”

In business, Lingo2Go® enables users to hold meetings with international clients and contacts at short notice and saving on travel costs.

Nikki said: “Whatever the requirements, it’s all about cost and convenience. You can see the other people in the conversation when you are speaking to them – which is as helpful when explaining products as it is in describing medical conditions – and you communicate in the same language.”

Nikki and her colleagues at Chamber Expo demonstrated the system by chatting with Jack Christon, a colleague who previously worked teaching English to Japanese students.

Nikki said: “We have an international network of 15,000 linguists who work in more than 500 languages and dialects including BSL and we can access them in seconds with the help of Lingo2Go® .”

Andrei Sparling, Managing Director of AaGlobal Language Services, said: “The reaction at Chamber Expo was really encouraging. Once people saw Lingo2Go® in action, they quickly understood how practical it could be, not only in healthcare but in any setting where clear communication is needed at short notice. The feedback was that it felt simple, personal and easy to use, which is exactly what we wanted to demonstrate.”