Language justice: Towards improved health outcomes for linguistic minority communities through participatory action research

This article explores the critical role of language access in healthcare, emphasising its direct impact on the health outcomes of linguistic minority communities. Despite legal frame works, the implementation of effective language services remains inconsistent across global healthcare systems, risking patient safety and exacerbating health disparities. The authors argue that language should be viewed as a fundamental component of healthcare infra structure, not a peripheral concern, and high light the dangers of relying on AI-driven translation tools without expert linguist oversight. By advocating for Participatory Action Research, the authors call for a collaborative, human-centred approach to developing language access solutions that ensure equitable, safe, and culturally relevant care. Ultimately, they stress that healthcare systems must prioritise language justice, both to fulfil ethical obligations and to enhance institutional resilience, urging a co-design of language access tools and systems that includes language access practitioners, patients, and care teams.