The cost of translation and interpretation services within the health service has increased by 17% since 2007, data has suggested.

NHS trusts spent £23.3 million on written translation and interpreters last year, according to a think-tank.

This equates to the NHS spending £60,000 a day on these services, said the organisation 2020Health.

The organisation, which obtained the figures through Freedom of Information requests, claimed money could be saved by creating a central pool of pre-translated materials accessed by all hospitals and GP surgeries.

Its report noted that interpretation services were more expensive, but the cost of translating documents had fallen.

Julia Manning, chief executive of 2020Health, said: “Urgent action must be taken by trusts to stem the flow of translation costs and our report sets out a number of recommendations that would do exactly that without altering the level of care given.”

Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spent £3.7 million over the same period.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust spent £2.4 million, while Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust was the biggest spender in London, with £2 million.

London trusts comprised 15% of the trusts surveyed, but were responsible for 31% of the total spend, the research showed.