NHS 119 – British Sign Language (BSL) Service
The Vaccination Booking Service is open:
Monday to Friday: 8:00-20:00 | Closed Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays
The NHS Covid Pass Service has now Closed.
The NHS Covid Pass is no longer required domestically or for international travel. For further information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-covid-pass
The NHS Test & Trace Service has now Closed.
ENGLAND: Please note the 119 Test service is now closed. If you are eligible for Covid treatment, you can collect test kits from a local participating pharmacy. For more information, please visit https://www.nhs.uk/covidtreatments or speak to your local participating pharmacy. If you are eligible for Covid treatment and have tested positive for COVID-19, please call your GP surgery in-hours, or call NHS 111 when your surgery is closed. If you have a hospital consultant, they may also be able to help. The NHS 111 service cannot issue test kit.
SCOTLAND: From 30th November 2023, if you are eligible for Covid treatment, the way you receive your free test kits has changed. NHS Scotland will fulfil orders through a new ordering system. The GOV.UK portal will redirect you to http://nhsinform.scot/covid19 which will link you to the new portal and has advice on what to do if you test positive. Please visit http://nhsinform.scot/covid19 for further information, or alternatively, if you cannot go online or wish to speak to an agent, please call the National Contact Centre on 0800 008 6587.
WALES: From 1st February 2024, if you are at higher risk and eligible for COVID-19 antiviral treatments you can no longer order lateral flow tests or report test results by calling 119. You can get tests from most pharmacies. For further information, including information about which pharmacies provide tests, and how to report results, please visit http://www.gov.wales/testing-coronavirus If you cannot use the online service to report a test result, call 111 for advice.
NORTHERN IRELAND: From 2nd January 2024, if you are at higher risk and eligible for Covid treatments, the way you report your lateral flow test result has changed. Please visit http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/covid-19-testing for advice on what to do if you test positive and this will link you to the new reporting webpage. Please visit http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/covid-treatments for further information or, alternatively, if you cannot use the online service to report a test result, contact your GP or GP Out of Hours for advice.
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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 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, booking COVID-19 vaccinations, and the COVID-19 Vaccination Pass service.
This is not a clinical service. Any enquiries that require medical advice should follow the route to contact NHS 111.
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 119 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. You can call NHS 119 without needing to register with SignVideo.
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 119 until 31 December 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 119 collects your personal information, how it may be used and your rights.
What type of information will we record about you?
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.
What happens to your clinical records?
If you ring NHS 119, 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 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.
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 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.