More than nine per cent of NHS referral letters had to be translated into foreign languages last year, according to new government data.
The figures show a dramatic rise in translation requirements, more than doubling from 3.78 per cent in 2020/21.
The data was revealed through government transparency rules and reflects the number of translations needed through the NHS England e-Referral Service.
The increase suggests a significant shift in the language needs of NHS patients over the past five years.
The figures show a dramatic rise in translation requirements, more than doubling from 3.78 per cent in 2020/21
NHS ENGLAND/ GETTY
Urdu was the most frequently requested language for translation, accounting for 15 per cent of all translated referral letters.
Bengali emerged as the second most common language for translation, followed by Polish in third place.
The figures were obtained through written questions to the Government by Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe.
"This is as good an estimate as we've managed to extract from the Government on the number of people in the country who can't speak English," said Lowe.
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He noted that these figures only reflect those without functional English skills, not including "the many foreign nationals who may be able to communicate in our language."
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp strongly criticised the NHS translation services, calling them "a total waste of resources."
"The over-stretched NHS should not be spending money translating letters for people who have come to the UK without bothering to learn English," he said.
Philp emphasised that people moving to Britain should learn English rather than rely on taxpayer-funded translations.
"It's time to end mass immigration - these figures show that many immigrants are not integrating. Numbers must be very dramatically cut, and we must insist on proper integration," he added.
The Conservatives have called for NHS translation and interpretation services to be completely shut down.
Rupert Lowe called for greater transparency from the Government regarding non-English speaking residents.
"If you live in England and can't speak English, don't work, refuse to integrate, the question has to be: why are you here? What benefit are you providing to the British people?" he said.
Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe called for greater transparency from the Government regarding non-English speaking residents
GETTYConservative leader Kemi Badenoch recently announced plans to tighten residency requirements for migrants.
Under her proposal, migrants would need to prove they had worked without claiming benefits or using social housing for at least 10 years before qualifying for indefinite leave to remain.
Reform UK has pledged a "one in, one out" migration policy, effectively proposing to freeze net migration.
The party is currently polling ahead of the Conservatives, according to recent figures.
