Translation cash wasted

MORE than £5000 was wasted on translation services for NHS patients in the Lothians who failed to show up in the last year, it has emerged.

Figures showed the amount spent on interpretation and translation services was £738,111 over a 12-month period. But patients failed to attend on 198 occasions on which appointments had been booked and purchased at a total cost of £5088.

In 2011, there were 21,361 appointments required for interpretation and translation services in partnership with the city council.

The figures were revealed in a Freedom of Information document released by NHS Lothian.