Dals: Innovating language services to meet the UK’s growing demand

In this issue of Healthcare Matters, we are pleased to feature Dals as our Interpreting & Translation Services Company of the Month.

More than 25 years ago, Dals (formerly known as DA Languages) recognised the increasing demand for quality language services due to the growing number of people in the UK with limited English proficiency. Global migration patterns in the years since have led to a further rise in the UK’s linguistic diversity, which in turn has seen the need for high-quality interpreters grow exponentially.

Fast forward to today, and the Manchester-based company has more than 400 employees and is a leading supplier of interpretation and translation services across the UK. With a network of more than 10,000 professional interpreters covering more than 500 languages – including British Sign Language – Dals ensures round-the-clock availability, 365 days a year.

As a leader in the language services industry, Dals upholds the highest standards. Every interpreter undergoes a rigorous vetting process to ensure they meet the strict requirements set by the various public sector frameworks and registers, guaranteeing expertise and professionalism in every interaction.

Though it primarily serves public sector bodies such as NHS trusts, police forces and local authorities, Dals also works with businesses such as private healthcare providers and legal firms. It is regularly acquiring new clients thanks to its excellent reputation and the fact its services are tailored to meet the unique needs of each organisation, offering flexibility and reliability at every step. Clients benefit from a dedicated relationship team, with each organisation assigned a personal point of contact for seamless coordination.

Strong backing
The company’s stellar growth has been enabled in part by investment from private equity firms, which clearly spotted the potential in the language services market. Though initially founded by an experienced interpreter called Actar Arya in 1998, the business was later acquired by private equity investors Foresight Group. The company was then acquired by IK Partners, its current owners, in 2021.

Having such strong backing has allowed it to invest heavily in technology and over the years it has worked tirelessly to continue upscaling in this area, something that sets it apart from its competitors. It now operates in a completely Cloud-based environment, which offers a number of market-leading platforms for both clients and linguists.

However, it is Dals’ recent innovation in video on-demand that is most unrivalled in the current industry, with the service offering 99.9% uptime availability. More importantly, it offers healthcare providers a much better option for unplanned interpreting needs, explains Matt Taylor, CEO at Dals.

“Video interpreting was previously only available if booked in advance, which left healthcare professionals with only telephone interpreting for unplanned interpreting needs,” he says. “While telephone interpreting is very popular among our clients and is very useful for many situations, it lacks the visual cues of in-person interpreting and these are sometimes vital in healthcare appointments.

Video interpreting on the rise
“On-demand video is playing a huge role in bridging the gap between telephone and in-person interpreting for medical providers and their patients. It also comes with significant time and cost savings, such that many clients are now using it in preference to in-person interpreting.”

Available on all mobile devices via an app, on-demand is ideal for organisations whose staff meet with individuals with limited or no English skills. It delivers excellent sound and image quality, and it is a much more cost-effective way for patients to meet with their healthcare practitioners.

What’s more, it is very easy to use as patients can access on-demand video remote interpreting in just three clicks on the app. They simply click to create a new call link, select on-demand, and click ‘join the call’. When the call is finished, they simply press ‘Close’ to return to the app. All communication is always facilitated with a live interpreter on the device, and all customer data is protected with 256-bit encryption. The app also includes a booking portal.

In hospital settings, on-demand is complemented by Dals’ Tablet on Wheels, a portable video device designed to be at the optimum height for a patient’s head when they are in a hospital bed. This device has been specifically designed to be used with the on-demand app for in-person appointments, and can be moved to wherever it is needed. Furthermore, to combat the risk of bacteria being spread, which is something of high importance to healthcare clients, the device is covered in antibacterial casing.

Video on-demand is also helping the company and its clients improve their environmental standing – by cutting down on the travel of interpreters to and from bookings, it is cutting the carbon footprint of all parties involved.

Sustainability high on the agenda
This ties in to Dals’ focus on ESG, says Matt. “Our strategy focuses on four pillars: our people, our community, our planet and our business principles. ESG has always been a key focus for the company, and we have generated more than £15 million in social value to date. To further drive our initiatives in this area, we took the decision to set up a dedicated ESG team in 2023.”

In addition to this ESG team, Dals has also recently appointed a marketing and sales director, Jon Burke, to push forward the wide-ranging brand overhaul it began late last year. As part of this, it plans to release its first Sustainability Report this year, which will highlight its ESG credentials and achievements and provide external verification of its successes in this area.

Matt says the company is also taking steps to further improve access to interpretation services, particularly in healthcare settings. “There is an ever-increasing demand for interpreters in the UK. We are determined to continue to meet that demand, as interpretation is too important a service to become overwhelmed.

“As a business, we are concentrating on growing supply chains, training and recruiting the best new talent, and investing in the technology that will make interpreting more readily available and efficient. Virtual interpreting models, on-demand booking platforms and Cloud-based technology are all being utilised to optimise our service so that our clients are always able to meet the needs of their own clients. Our mission is to make sure everyone is understood.

“Particularly in healthcare settings, there is significant evidence to suggest that language barriers can have a detrimental impact on patients’ access to healthcare, as well as their clinical outcomes. We strive to ensure we are promoting equality in the UK’s healthcare system by enabling our clients to offer high-quality interpretation services to anyone who needs them.”

T 0161 928 2533
enquiries@dals.co.uk
https://dals.co.uk