GPs confused by 'manky' patients

A group of foreign doctors left baffled by South Yorkshire slang are being taught the local dialect so they know when their patients feel "champion".

The seven Austrians are fluent English speakers but were left confused by patients feeling "jiggered" or "manky".

But now doctor-patient relations in Barnsley and Doncaster have improved after the local NHS trust compiled a special Yorkshire language guide.

Health officials turned to Austria 18 months ago to tackle a GP shortage.

We know that the doctors welcome anything that helps them get integrated Trust spokesman Ian Carpenter

The towns' new GPs had to pass an English test before taking up their new posts - but examiners did not include a section on local dialects.

The guide, which translates the Tyke phrases into more standard English, was formulated by colleagues who picked up on the problem.

Ian Carpenter, of Doncaster West Primary Care Trust, said: "Their English is very good, but obviously it's academic English.

"There's a lot of colloquialisms used locally, and this just gives them a bit of a flavour to help them integrate into the area.

"There's things like 'fizog' for face, and 'lugholes' for ears. Even 'ey oop', when they mean hello."

YORKSHIRE TO ENGLISH Ey oop = Hello Fizog = Face Lughole = Ear Jiggered = Exhausted Manky = Rough Our lass = Wife Gipping = Vomiting

Terms that some patients use for more delicate areas of the body are also explained in the guide.

"It's helpful to build up that patient and doctor relationship, and it helps with their diagnoses because they can understand what the patient is presenting with," Mr Carpenter added.

"We know that the doctors welcome anything that helps them get integrated."

The trust is currently looking to recruit further doctors from Spain to further boost GP numbers in the two towns.

Mr Carpenter said the guide would be kept up-to-date so future newcomers could receive the same assistance.