Increasing globalization and immigration has seen an increase in linguistic and cultural diversity worldwide. This has necessitated the use of interpreters in public service settings. Of particular interest to the authors, and the focus of this article, is the impact of linguistic diversity on access to health care and, more specifically, to mental healthcare services. It is widely documented that language discordance impedes access to, and quality of, health care and that formally trained interpreter-assisted consults vastly improve client satisfaction and clinical outcomes. This article examines the current situation in South Africa regarding the use of interpreters in this setting. The ethical and practical implications for psychotherapy and psychodiagnostics are considered. Current policy and legislation relevant to language services and health care is reviewed. Possible ways forward to ensure equal access to healthcare services are discussed.