Help with understanding healthcare
At Healthwatch Surrey we are keen that everyone can get the health services they need.
Translated materials and translation services
Translation services: If you require a translator for a hospital appointment, this can be arranged by contacting the hospitals Patient Advice and Liaison Team.
-
- Royal Surrey County Hospital: PALS – Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
-
- East Surrey Hospital: PALS – Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
-
- Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals: PALS – Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
- Frimley Park Hospital: PALS – NHS Frimley Health Foundation Trust
-
- Epsom and St Helier Hospitals: PALS – Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
NHS 111: When calling NHS 111 you can request an interpreter. To request an interpreter, follow these steps:
-
- Dial 111 and press 9 on your phone to continue.
-
- You will hear an automated answer, wait until it finishes and wait for a person to answer your call.
-
- When they answer say in English “I speak (Your first language). I need an interpreter. My telephone number is (Give them your telephone number).
-
- Stay on the line and wait for an interpreter to join the call.
Information about the NHS’s responsibility to provide a translator: Does the NHS have to provide an interpreter? | Healthwatch
Information for people with learning disabilities or neurodiversity
Learning disability and autism hub: Services and useful links from the Surrey Partnership Boards
Services and useful links from the Surrey Partnership Boards – Surrey County Council
Annual health checks, Hospital stays and physical and mental wellbeing: Easy Read information
Health: Surrey Partnership Boards – Surrey County Council
Information available in various languages
A Trifold leaflet – How to access the NHS is available on the Doctors of the World website, translated into many different languages.
For other languages, please visit the Doctors of the World website
Other information about health services is also available on their website: Translated information for Patients
The Forrest Medico Legal services website has the NHS guide for asylum seekers in several languages:
Sorani (Kurdish)
Tamil (Tamil Nadu & Sri Lanka)
Tigrinya (Eritrea & N Ethiopia)
The NHS website has lots of information about health care and services, available in different languages. Visit the NHS website – Health information in other languages