What you need to know if you have a healthcare appointment and do not speak Dutch

Do you not yet speak Dutch well and have an appointment with the doctor, psychologist, midwife, dentist or at the hospital? Then the doctor can use an interpreter. This interpreter is free of charge for you. An interpreter allows you and the doctor to understand each other better.

Tell them you need an interpreter when you make the appointment. You can also indicate whether you would prefer a man or a woman as an interpreter. The doctor then makes the appointment with the interpreter service. At the time of the appointment, the doctor calls the interpreter. The interpreter translates the conversation over the phone. In difficult situations or problems, an interpreter may also be present during the conversation. The doctor decides if this is necessary. There are doctors who do not want to arrange an interpreter or do not know how to do so. You can then point them to the leaflet 'Zo schakelt u een tolk in' (how to use an interpreter).

You can also choose to bring an adult acquaintance or family member to translate.

Can you not manage to arrange an interpreter? Then you can always use a translation app as well.