How does a patient deal with an employee who refuses to speak English?

Question: How does a patient deal with an employee who refuses to speak English? A staff member at the Montreal General Hospital’s test center did not speak to me in English even when I asked them to. Do I call upon a superior on the spot?

Answer: All staff at the McGill University Health Centre must address patients in the language of their choice, English or French. You can ask to be served in either of these languages and the staff member must respect your choice or find someone else who can assist you in that language. We also have translators available who are able to translate in up to 50 languages for patients who do not speak English or French. 

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