News Stories

In this task, you will explore how news and professional articles represent communication failures between ambulance crews and patients with limited English. You’ll look for patterns in how responsibility is framed: Are language barriers portrayed as a patient problem? A system/government problem? Or a failure of ambulance services to provide interpreters?

You can also analyse recurring vocabulary, framing, and keywords.

To get you started

1. Read a few news articles

Skim first, then read more closely.

Links to some news articles:

• New research finds language barriers slowing response and compromising safety

• Service breaks language barrier

• Sign language 'absolutely essential' says paramedic

• Ambulance sign language app will help 'save lives'

• Craigavon translation tech tackles health language barriers

Make a note of:

• Who is portrayed as struggling?
• What solutions are mentioned?
• Whether responsibility is described as personal (patient), professional (ambulance crews), or political (government, policy, funding)

2. Count recurring phrases

Examples to track:

• “language barrier”
• “delay” / “delayed care”
• “dangerous” / “life‑threatening”
• “miscommunication”
• “interpreter” / “translation tools”
• “assessment difficulty”
• “risk” / “safety”

3. Compare narrative tone

Ask:

• Does the story frame the issue as a human misunderstanding?
• As an unavoidable problem of multilingual societies?
• As a failure of public services?
• As a preventable issue with the right tools?

4. Conclude with a short synthesis

Bring together your observations:

• Who is most often framed as responsible?
• Are solutions individual (train staff), technological (apps), or structural (government funding)?
• Which article is most sympathetic to patients?
• Which is most critical of ambulance systems?