St James's Hospital has launched a procurement process to identify a technology solution that will help frontline staff communicate more effectively with patients who have limited English, supporting faster access to medical interpretation services across the hospital.

The Dublin hospital is seeking quotations from suitably qualified technology providers to deliver a digital interpretation solution that can be used during urgent clinical interactions and shorter patient consultations where immediate communication is required.

According to BreakingNews.ie, the procurement follows significant demand for interpretation services, with the hospital arranging 9,382 interpreter assignments during 2025. The majority of these required interpreters to attend the hospital in person, with Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, Portuguese and Polish among the most frequently requested languages.

Procurement documents state that the hospital is looking for a user-friendly solution capable of delivering high-quality medical translations while meeting GDPR requirements for data protection and patient privacy. The system is intended to support frontline healthcare professionals when rapid communication is needed, particularly where patients have little or no English.

The proposed technology will also be used during shorter appointments, enabling clinicians to obtain essential medical information quickly while reducing reliance on in-person interpretation for routine interactions.

St James's Hospital said the initiative forms part of its efforts to improve communication across its clinical services while maintaining high standards of patient care. The hospital, one of Ireland's largest acute healthcare providers, serves thousands of emergency, inpatient and outpatient cases each year.

Prospective suppliers have until 22 July to submit quotations, after which the hospital will evaluate proposals based on functionality and cost before awarding the contract.