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.
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- Royal Surrey County Hospital: PALS – Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
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- East Surrey Hospital: PALS – Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
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- Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals: PALS – Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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- Frimley Park Hospital: PALS – NHS Frimley Health Foundation Trust
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- 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:
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- Dial 111 and press 9 on your phone to continue.
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- You will hear an automated answer, wait until it finishes and wait for a person to answer your call.
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- When they answer say in English “I speak (Your first language). I need an interpreter. My telephone number is (Give them your telephone number).
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- 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.
How to Access the NHS – English
How to Access the NHS – Ukrainian
How to Access the NHS – Russian
How to Access the NHS – Pashto
How to Access the NHS – Arabic
How to Access the NHS – Kurdish
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:
Farsi (Iran)
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