From Portugal to Perth, Sian’s LOTE skills are an asset

As a Clinical Midwife Educator, Sian Skillcorn is always keen to lend a hand – or an ear – to ensure patients from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds feel heard and understood.

Fluent in Portuguese, Sian signed up to WA Health’s list of LOTE (language other than English) speakers and is encouraging others who meet the criteria to do the same.

LOTE speakers may be called upon to provide short term assistance in reviewing basic non-clinical information, and under special circumstances may be asked to assist with reviewing formal communications to CaLD communities.

“It’s a great initiative so people don’t feel as nervous about looking for healthcare in this country, knowing there could be someone there that can speak their language,” Ms Skillcorn said.

“Everyone should have a right to be able to be understood or spoken to in their own language, regardless of what country they live in. That’s the main reason I signed up.”

Born in the UK, Sian grew up in Portugal before moving back to the UK to complete her midwifery training.

She then returned to Portugal where she worked as a Midwife in a public hospital for nine years.

Sian relocated to WA in 2012 with a sponsorship from Osborne Park Hospital, where she worked her way up to the role of Clinical Midwife and, later, Staff Development Midwife, before joining WA Country Health Service three years ago in her current role.

“Having worked in a foreign country – and a lot of English people live in Portugal – it was really good being able to look after those women in their own language,” Sian said.

“The look on their faces when they realised that I could actually speak their language, that we could have a proper conversation, I thought that was really valuable.”

She encouraged any staff considering signing up to the LOTE register to “do it today”.

The height of the COVID-19 pandemic saw LOTE speakers across WA Health called on to support the development of videos with key messages for Western Australians of CaLD backgrounds.