NHS 111 – British Sign Language (BSL) Service
This service is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Connect to BSL interpreter
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FAQs
How the service works
Using your computer and webcam, or the SignVideo app on your smartphone or tablet, you make a video call to a BSL interpreter.
The interpreter telephones an NHS 111 adviser and relays your conversation with them. The NHS 111 adviser will ask you questions to assess your symptoms, then give you the healthcare advice you need or direct you straightaway to the local service that can help you best.
Where possible the NHS 111 team will book you an appointment or transfer you directly to the people you need to speak to.
If NHS 111 adviser think you need an ambulance they will immediately arrange one for you.
Making a successful video call
You need a modern computer with a webcam, or the SignVideo 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 111 BSL (England) logo:
To get the SignVideo app
Search for “SignVideo” in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app is free to download and use.
To call NHS 111, you will need to register with SignVideo. You can do this in the app.
If you have an existing InterpreterNow username, then this will work in the SignVideo app.
The InterpreterNow app is no longer available to download.
If you already have the InterpreterNow app, it will continue to work to call NHS 111 until 31-Dec-2021. For an improved experience, please download the SignVideo app as soon as possible.
How the NHS uses your information…
This is a summary of why NHS 111 collects your personal information, how it may be used and your rights.
Further information can be found from the NHS 111 website: www.nhs.uk/nhs111
What type of information will we record about you?
To provide you with urgent (non-emergency) medical help and advice through our NHS 111 service, we will collect information about you to help us identify you and provide you with appropriate medical help and advice.
We will record information about your condition and the advice we have provided. This information will be recorded on a computer system.
What happens to your clinical records?
If you ring NHS 111, we may need to share some health information about you with your GP and additionally with other health or social care providers in order to provide you with appropriate care. If you do not wish information about you to be shared we will give you the opportunity to say so, however this may impact on the services and support that can be provided to you.
The health and social care professionals involved in your treatment or care may ask us for information about your use of our services or the treatment you received. We will be careful about sharing information in these circumstances and will only do so once we are satisfied that they need this information in order to provide care to you.
How else is information about you used?
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 care and advice they provide to ensure it is of the highest standard e.g. call reviews are undertaken by clinicians within ours and our commissioner’s organisations to ensure clinical standards and quality are maintained. We will ask your permission and respect your wishes if you do not agree to your information being used for this purpose.
- 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 health information without your permission, for example, to investigate a serious crime or to protect a child.
How do you know your records will be kept confidential?
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.
How to obtain your personal information, or details about the use of your information
The Data Protection Act 1998 allows you to find out what information about you is held by NHS 111. 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 111 you should make a written request to:
NHS 111 Subject Access Requests
Information Governance Compliance Team,
Health and Social Care Information Centre,
1 Trevelyan Square,
Boar Lane,
Leeds LS1 6AE
Please note that all calls to the urgent (non-emergency) medical help and advice line (NHS 111) are recorded for the purposes of patient care, staff training, quality and audit purposes and untoward incidents.