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Medical translation services

Accurate, confidential medical translation by experienced professional linguists with proven medical expertise
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Medical translation requires more than fluency in two languages. Whether you’re translating a patient’s medical records, preparing healthcare information for an international audience or working with specialist clinical documentation, accuracy, terminology and context matter.

At Atlas Translations, we’ve been providing professional translation services since 1991. We work with healthcare organisations, pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, research teams, legal professionals, insurers and individuals who need reliable medical translations.

Our experienced professional linguists combine language expertise with specialist medical knowledge, supported by dedicated project managers and established quality assurance processes.

We understand that medical documents may contain sensitive personal information, complex terminology or details that could affect important decisions. That’s why we take the time to understand your document, its intended use and any particular requirements before work begins.

Need a medical document translated? Contact team@atlas-translations.co.uk for a no-obligation quotation.

What medical documents can we translate?

Medical translation covers a wide range of documents, from individual patient records to complex scientific and clinical materials. We select translators with appropriate subject expertise for each assignment.

Examples of medical documents we translate include:

If your document isn’t listed, please ask. Our team will be happy to discuss your requirements.

Medical records and reports translation

Medical records may need to be translated for many different reasons. You may be receiving treatment overseas, transferring between healthcare systems, submitting documents to an insurer or providing medical evidence for legal proceedings.

We translate medical records and reports for individuals and organisations, including:

  • Hospital and GP records
  • Consultation notes
  • Discharge summaries
  • Test results
  • Diagnostic reports
  • Medical certificates
  • Specialist assessments
  • Treatment histories
  • Occupational health reports
  • Medical evidence for legal or insurance purposes

Our translators pay close attention to medical terminology, abbreviations, dates, measurements and the context in which information appears. We can also discuss whether a certified translation is required for your intended purpose.

Certified medical translations

Some medical documents need to be submitted to an official organisation, legal representative, insurer, healthcare provider or other authority. Depending on the intended use, a certified translation may be required.

Atlas provides certified translations of medical documents, accompanied by an appropriate certification statement. Requirements vary between organisations and countries, so we recommend checking what the receiving organisation needs before ordering.

Our team can advise on the translation and certification options available.

Medical translation for healthcare organisations

We support hospitals, NHS organisations, clinics and other healthcare providers with professional medical translation services. This can include patient information, clinical documentation, public health materials, training resources and multilingual communications.

We understand the importance of clear language, particularly where information is intended for patients and families rather than healthcare professionals. Our translators consider medical accuracy, appropriate terminology and the needs of the intended audience.

Find out more about our healthcare and NHS translation and interpreting services.

Pharmaceutical and life sciences translation

Pharmaceutical and life sciences organisations work with highly specialised documentation covering research, development, manufacturing, regulatory processes and patient information. We provide specialist translation services for pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology businesses, laboratories and research organisations.

Our work can include scientific reports, manufacturing procedures, product information, regulatory documentation and pharmaceutical packaging.

Explore our pharmaceutical and life sciences translation services.

Medical devices and healthtech translation

Medical devices and healthcare technologies require accurate, consistent translation of technical and user-facing information. We support manufacturers and HealthTech businesses with instructions for use, user manuals, product labelling, technical documentation and software localisation.

We understand the importance of clear instructions, particularly where products are used by healthcare professionals or patients.

Read more about our medical devices and healthtech translation services.

Clinical trials and linguistic validation

Clinical research often involves multilingual documentation, patient-facing materials and specialist questionnaires. Atlas provides translation services for clinical trial documentation, including protocols, participant information sheets, informed consent forms and research questionnaires.

We also provide forward translation, back translation, reconciliation and related linguistic validation support for Clinical Outcome Assessments (COAs) and patient-reported outcome measures.

Learn more about our clinical trials and linguistic validation services.

Medical translation for legal and insurance purposes

Medical documentation is frequently required in legal proceedings, insurance claims and other formal processes. We work with solicitors, insurers and other organisations requiring accurate translations of medical evidence.

Documents may include:

  • Medical reports
  • Expert witness reports
  • Personal injury documentation
  • Occupational health assessments
  • Insurance medical records
  • Clinical evidence
  • Medical correspondence

Our team can discuss the intended use of the translation, any certification requirements and relevant confidentiality considerations.

Why specialist medical translators matter

Medical terminology can be complex, abbreviated and highly dependent on context. The same term may have different meanings in different clinical disciplines, and errors in translation can have serious consequences.

Our translators are selected according to their linguistic qualifications, experience and relevant medical subject expertise.

They consider:

  • Medical terminology and abbreviations
  • The clinical context
  • Intended audience
  • Accuracy of numerical information
  • Consistency across documents
  • Local language conventions
  • Appropriate tone and readability
  • The purpose of the translation

We believe professional human judgement is essential in medical translation. If something is ambiguous or unclear, our project managers will raise a query rather than allow an assumption to go unchecked.

Confidentiality and quality assurance

Medical documents often contain sensitive personal information. We understand the importance of confidentiality and careful handling of these materials.

Atlas Translations is certified to:

  • ISO 17100:2015 – Translation services requirements
  • ISO 9001:2015 – Quality management systems

We also hold Cyber Essentials certification.

Our established processes cover project assessment, linguist selection, translation, review and delivery. We work with professional linguists who are subject to confidentiality obligations and can discuss additional security requirements or non-disclosure agreements where appropriate. We do not authorise translators to use AI tools for client translations unless this has been expressly agreed.

Medical translation in a wide range of languages

Atlas provides professional translation services across a wide range of language combinations. We select appropriately qualified linguists with relevant medical expertise for each project.

Whether you need a single medical certificate translated or a large multilingual healthcare project coordinated, our team can discuss your requirements. We can also help with different document formats, including scanned records, reports, presentations and supporting materials.

More than medical translation

Alongside written medical translation, Atlas provides a range of related language services, including:

If you’re unsure which service you need, we’ll help you work it out.

Why choose Atlas Translations?

Experience since 1991

More than three decades of providing professional translation and language services.

Specialist medical translators

We select linguists with the appropriate medical and subject expertise for each project.

ISO-certified processes

Our established quality management and translation service procedures support a structured approach to project delivery.

Dedicated project managers

You’ll deal with experienced people who can answer questions, coordinate the work and explain the options.

Confidentiality

We understand the importance of protecting sensitive medical and personal information.

Human-first translation

We believe in professional expertise, careful review and asking questions when something needs clarification.

Clear, detailed quotations

When we send your quote, we’ll explain what’s included and help you understand any certification, formatting or additional requirements.

Get started with a quote

Satisfied clients

Managing complex medical translation projects for pharmaceutical clients

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Sector: Medical translation services

Service: Translation and localisation

The Allergy Project: translation services

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Sector: Medical translation services

Service: Translation and localisation

NHS Confederation and our healthcare translation services

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Sector: Medical translation services

Service: DTP, design and typesetting, Proofreading, Translation and localisation

Why trust Atlas Translations?

ISO certified

Member of

35+ years of experience. Specialist expertise. Always human.

Read more about our commitment to quality

“It needed a translation of handwritten French health records from the 1980s which is a tough endeavour.

After comparing 15+ different translation services companies in the UK, I was quoted the second best prices by Atlas – some companies would either charge double, or refused outright because of the handwriting. I chose Atlas over the cheaper competitor because on their website, the company seemed transparent and I could put faces on names.

Project manager Rhys (awesome chap) called me as soon as I filled the online form so I could explain what I needed and what they could do. They’ve got native speaking French translators specialised in medicine so they’ve got a lot of the complex terms right.

Got the records deciphered, translated, formatted, with ATC certification as promised in less than 3 working days, and got to review the work to make sure I was happy with the result, and comment on the document if anything needed tweaking.

I would definitely recommend them and use them again.”

William
Medical translation client

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Frequently asked questions

Medical translation is the translation of documents containing medical, clinical or healthcare information. This may include patient records, clinical reports, medical certificates, pharmaceutical information, research documentation and medical device instructions.

Medical translation requires appropriate subject expertise because terminology and context can affect the meaning of the information.

Yes. We translate medical records for individuals, healthcare providers, legal professionals, insurers and other organisations. Documents can include hospital records, GP notes, diagnostic reports, treatment histories and discharge summaries.

Yes. We can provide certified translations of medical documents where required.

Certification requirements vary depending on the receiving organisation and country, so please tell us where the translation will be submitted.

The cost depends on the language combination, word count, complexity, document format, deadline and any certification requirements.

We provide a detailed quotation before work begins.

Timescales depend on the length and complexity of the document, the languages involved and the required review process. Please tell us if you have a deadline, and we’ll advise on availability and realistic delivery options.

Yes. We select professional translators with relevant medical or clinical subject expertise appropriate to the document.

We can assess scanned documents and handwritten records. The source must be sufficiently legible for accurate translation. If any information is unclear, we’ll discuss this with you before proceeding or raise queries during the project.

Yes. We use established confidentiality and information security procedures and work with professional linguists subject to confidentiality obligations.

We can discuss any additional security requirements before work begins.

Yes. We translate medical documents for international use, including records, reports and certificates. Please tell us which country and organisation will receive the translation so we can discuss any particular requirements.

Yes. We translate medical reports and other medical evidence for solicitors, insurers and individuals. We can also discuss certification requirements and the intended use of the translated documents.

Yes. We provide telephone, pre-booked video and face-to-face interpreting services for healthcare and medical settings.

Our on-demand telephone interpreting service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Medical translators combine professional translation skills with specialist medical knowledge, gained through education, professional experience or both. This enables them to understand complex terminology and context. The consequences of mistakes can also be much greater, so medical work should always be assigned to a translator with suitable subject expertise.

Usually, but not always. Medical records being submitted to doctors, insurers, courts or other official organisations may need certification, whereas other medical content may not. The organisation receiving the translation ultimately decides what it requires, so it’s always best to check before ordering a certified translation.

Request a medical translation quote

Whether you need a medical report translated for personal use, specialist clinical documentation for your organisation or multilingual medical information for an international project, we're here to help. Send us your document, tell us which languages you need and explain how the translation will be used. We'll review the requirements and provide a clear, no-obligation quotation.

Call us on 01727 812 725

Tell us some details and get a quote

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