Welcome to the NHS 119 BSL Service
This service is open 07.00 – 23.00 day every day
Available in: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Delivered and powered by InterpreterNow
On a PC:
Click on the ‘Connect to a Sign Language Interpreter’ button to connect to a BSL interpreter.
[Windows & Apple Mac computers]
On a mobile phone or tablet:
Tap on the ‘NHS 119 COVID testing and vaccinations‘ button in the InterpreterNow app.
Using your computer and webcam, or the InterpreterNow app on your smartphone or tablet, you make a video call to a BSL interpreter.
The interpreter telephones an NHS 119 operative and relays your conversation with them. The NHS 119 operative will assist you with the procedure for booking and administering COVID-19 tests and with enquiries related to the progress of the test results, and with booking COVID-19 vaccinations.
This is not a clinical service. Any enquiries that require medical advice should follow the route to contact NHS 111.
You need a modern computer with a webcam, or the InterpreterNow app on your smartphone or tablet, and a good broadband internet connection.
It is best if no one else is using your internet connection while you are on the call, especially not for online games, streaming music or watching films.
If your video call fails while you are connected to the interpreter, try again. You may need to restart your computer.
On your smartphone or tablet, tap on the NHS 119 button:
Click HERE to register with InterpreterNow and download the app.
This is a summary of why NHS 119 collects your personal information, how it may be used and your rights.
To provide you with assistance with booking or enquiring about a COVID-19 test or vaccination through our NHS 119 service, we will collect information about you to help us identify you.
We will record the information you provide us and store this on a computer system.
To monitor the quality of our service, recordings of the interaction between the interpreter and the NHS 119 operative may also be retained.
We use relevant information about you to help improve NHS services and the health of the public. Your information may be used to:
- Help staff review the assistance they provide to ensure it is of the highest standard
- Teach and train staff
- Protect the health of the public
- Provide statistics, performance and planning information
- Find out how many people have a particular illness or disease
- Carry out health research and development
- Investigate complaints, legal claims or untoward incidents
Wherever possible the information will be anonymised. If we have a requirement to use information that does identify you we will explain how and why your information will be used and obtain your permission.
Sometimes the law allows the NHS to share your personal information without your permission, for example, to investigate a serious crime or to protect a child.
All NHS organisations have a legal duty of confidence to their patients and the Data Protection Act 1998 further defines how we can collect and handle personal information.
All NHS organisations are required to appoint a Caldicott Guardian to ensure patient information is handled in accordance with legal and NHS regulations.
The Data Protection Act 1998 allows you to find out what information about you is held by NHS 119. This is known as the “right of subject access”.
If you want to make a subject access request for personal data held in respect of any services provided by NHS 119 you should make a written request to:
NHS 119 Subject Access Requests
COVID-19 Testing Contact Centre Team,
Department of Health and Social Care,
39, Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0EU
Please note that all calls to NHS 119 are recorded for the purposes of patient care, staff training, quality and audit purposes and untoward incidents.