FAQs

No, your health navigator may speak your language but they are not able to attend act as personal interpreter for your appointments 

We highly recommend that individuals do not use family members, friends or community members to provide interpretation. Using the services of untrained interpreters can result in increase amount of errors, omissions, incomplete information being delivered and breached confidentiality of clients. In order to ensure the safety of clients and highest quality of care, professional interpreters should always be used.  

The Ottawa Newcomer Health Centre has access to system health navigators that help clients navigate the Canadian healthcare system and connect them access services in the community. Multicultural Health Navigators provide education, community connections, advocacy support and bridge the gap between clients and service providers empowering individuals to make informed choices regarding their health.

In order to access services individuals are requested to bring with them all relevant documents, their Interim Federal Health (IFH) certificate with expanded coverage, their Ontario Health Insurance Program (OHIP) card if you have it, and any previous health records.

Only registered programs can place requests on behalf of their clients accessing services, individual community member cannot place requests for interpretation support for their own personal appointments.

Currently the Ottawa Newcomer Clinic is surviving specific groups of newcomers (government assisted refugees (GARs), refugee claimants) 

Once you are connected to a primary care provider/family doctor in the community, you will no longer be seen at the Ottawa Newcomer Clinic. However, if you have initiative treatment for inactive Tuberculosis at our clinic, you are able to receive and complete the treatment at our clinic.

Individuals don’t need a referral form other health agencies; however everyone needs to make an appointment in order to access services. In order to connect with the clinic services, call 613-691-0192 ext 6002. The clinic is not a walk-in clinic.

Hours of navigators vary however the best way to connect with your navigator is to call their direct line and leave a message. For more general information regarding specific navigators call 613-691-0192.

Currently our Multicultural Health Navigator team provides support in 8 languages, Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Nepali, Pashto, Spanish, Swahili, and Somali. Client able to communicate in English/ French can also again access to services. 

Although your family members may provide support, its best practice to rely on the services of professional multicultural health navigators who have been trained, have experience, qualification and key knowledge of community resources available to clients.

Yes, individuals with limited English or French Proficiency can have access to a wide range of language interpretation support at the Ottawa Newcomer Clinic for medical appointments.

Primary care is provided on temporary bases for clients, the clinic provides access to transition care for a window of 6 months to 1 year. Thereafter clients are assisted to find family doctors in the community. 

Yes. If preferred by clients requests can be made for a particular gender of interpreter, OLA will try to accommodate all such request. 

Please visit the careers opportunities page of this website (onhc.ca), email us at ola@swchc.on.ca or call 613-288-2652 ext 2

All interpreters working with OLA are required to have successfully completed the following: an interpreting language skills assessment test (CILISAT/ILSAT) for all working languages, a recognized training program in the core competencies of community interpretation, and a recognized course in medical terminology. In addition, all OLA interpreters are covered by errors and omissions and general liability insurance and are bound by confidentiality, conflict of interest agreements, and the interpreter’s code of ethics.

Programs who are affiliated with OLA have access to various modes of interpretation; we provide face-to-face interpretation, group interpretation, over the phone interpretation, message relay services and conference call interpretation.

Ottawa Language Access (OLA) is a social enterprise a wide variety of programs can access interpretation services for client who don’t speak English/French. To find out how to registered your program to receive services please call 613-288-2652 ext 2 

No. Although many of our health care navigators have educational and professional backgrounds in the health field, they are not trained licensed medical professionals. Navigators will support clients and help them get connected to the right resources in the community, but will not provide client with medical or legal advice.

Health navigators will work with clients up to 2 years, however if it is determined that client no longer needs the support of a navigator and is able to navigate the healthcare system, client can be discharged from the program. If client at a future date requires assistance once again, discharged clients can approach the program for support once again if there is a need.

Do to the current pandemic situation of Covid19 the clinic will see client ONLY BY APPOINTMENT NO WALK-IN service.

ONHC is open Monday-Friday 9-5pm; the clinic will be extended hours on Tuesday – Thursday 9 to 7pm starting in the fall of 2019. ONHC is closed on all statutory Holidays and weekends. 

Hours of navigators vary however the best way to connect with your navigator is to call their direct line and leave a message. For more general information regarding specific navigators call 613-691-0192.

Trained health interpreters are professional, effective, accurate, and impartial at all times; professional health interpreters will maintain a client’s confidentiality and will not disclose any personal details of the client.  Providers should always rely on the services of professional interpreter to ensure information is accurately being conveyed to clients and maintain the clients safely. Professional interpreter are bound by a code of ethics and strict standard of practice.

Navigator’s objective is to empower clients and encourage them to learn how to navigate the healthcare system on their own. Navigators will not be able to accompany clients to all their medical appointments. Navigators may accompany clients to their initial meet and greet appointments with family doctors; however this will be on a case by case basis.