MEDICAL INTERPRETING TRAINING IN UK HIGHER EDUCATION AS A DETERMINANT OF PATIENT SAFETY

Abstract

The relevance of the study is due to the growing linguistic diversity in the UK healthcare system and the increased risk of communication errors in clinical practice, which directly affect patient safety, quality of medical care and treatment outcomes. In the NHS, language barriers remain a significant factor in clinical risks, which highlights the need for high-quality training of medical interpreters in the higher education system. The aim of the article is to analyse the training of medical interpreters in higher education institutions in the UK from the perspective of patient safety and determining the contribution of educational models to the formation of professional competences to minimize communication risks. The research methods include analysis and synthesis of scientific sources on interpreting studies and medical communication, comparative analysis of educational models of interpreter training in the UK, a systematic approach to considering the relationship between education and the healthcare system, as well as content analysis of NHS regulatory documents and university curricula. The scientific novelty lies in the comprehensive consideration of the training of medical interpreters in the UK precisely in relation to patient safety, as well as in the isolation of the competency structure of professional training with an emphasis on the risk-oriented component. The practical significance lies in the possibility of using the results to improve educational programs in interpreting, as well as to develop interprofessional interaction between educational institutions and the healthcare system. The results of the study indicate that the training of medical interpreters in the UK is integrated into the Interpreting Studies programs, is characterized by a combination of researchand practice-oriented approaches, but remains fragmented and insufficiently standardized. This creates a gap between academic training and the real-world demands of the clinical environment, which has direct implications for patient safety