New NHS 111 service

MamaMoo_2

So, went to call the GP out of hours service last night as DS2 was projectile vomiting at 1am.
As DS1 and myself have been diagnosed with scarlet fever which started the same way, I figured I'd get DS2 looked at ASAP so if he had it too I could start him on the penicillin.
Anyway, phoned the number for the local OOH service only to find a recorded message telling me to call 111 as that's the new NHS non-emergency number. Strange, I thought, but called it. After a long wait I was finally put through to someone who took all the details and then told me what I already knew, that I needed to see an OOH GP as soon as possible. He arranged a call back within the hour.
I receive the call back from the same OOH service I tried to call in the first place, who went over all the details the person from the 111 service did.
Surely this is a waste of time and money? It's just adding in a middle man who doesn't need to be there. Also found out that while the official number for my local OOH now advises you to call 111, there's a geographic number that just puts you straight through to the service. This was given to me by the OOH service. Why have two sets of people doing the same job?
Also, when calling my local OOH directly, there's no wait, you get straight through, whereas the 111 service had a 5-10 minute wait!
Just seems a bit silly to me.

Handsome90

I am not entirely sure but the 111 could be the phone number of NHS direct, which is different from your GP. There are two ways to contact NHS direct: using the website or phoning them.

When you input all your symptoms in the website, a nurse calls you back (in my case the nurse phoned after 20 minutes). When you call 111, you'll have to tell the operator all your symptoms and then a nurse will call you back. Depending on the severity of your illness, they will either get in touch with your OOH GP, give you the address of the nearest walk-in clinic or make an urgent appointment at the local hospital

I wouldn't say NHS direct is pointless as they made an urgent appointment for me at a local hospital. I phoned them at 6pm and they made an appointment at 8:30pm at the urgent care centre.

Well this is my understanding and I could be wrong.

browneyedbazzi

For your situation the 111 number may have seemed like a waste of time but I expect they actually weed out a lot of time wasters and prevent them from accessing the OOH service. For cases where there's a genuine need for OOH it will take a little longer and cost a little more but overall I would think they save the NHS money.

This sort of thing is frustrating to people who only access services when they really need to, but sadly there are a lot of really stupid people who would try to call an OOH doctor to their house for a splinter or a common cold.

pmduk

111 calls are free from mobile phones (though payg phones need 1p credit to initiate the call.) In some areas the service is provided by NHS Direct, in other it culd be a private company or the local ambulance service, whoever is cheapest.

I've not used the service as it only went live here yesterday.

fluffnutter

This kind of thing's going to get more and more common as our health service becomes more fragmented. Enjoy!

paddyrg

Where should the NHS spend the finite money they have? If they can find a way to spread and level peak demand by using callbacks, wouldn't it be outrageous of them not to do so? If having this system frees up resources, sounds like a good plan to me, especially as healthcare is getting dearer and dearer as it gets more successful meaning people live longer, and at the other end the splinter 999-ers...!

Evilm

It is the NHS Direct replacement - there was an article on the news about the high levels of call outs of ambulances due to wrong advice being given. Even stuff like a sore throat was being passed to an ambulance to deal with in one area!

Teething problems I guess!

MamaMoo_2

paddyrg wrote: »

Where should the NHS spend the finite money they have? If they can find a way to spread and level peak demand by using callbacks, wouldn't it be outrageous of them not to do so? If having this system frees up resources, sounds like a good plan to me, especially as healthcare is getting dearer and dearer as it gets more successful meaning people live longer, and at the other end the splinter 999-ers...!

The issue is, the OOH service I was using already uses callbacks. You're dealt with by someone who assesses your symptoms and then arranges for you to speak to a doctor within an hour. It wasn't NHS direct I wanted to speak to as they always tell me to go to A&E, regardless of the issue.
The number I called was the direct number to the OOH, which then redirected me to 111. I called 111, waited a while, gave all my details only to have to wait for most of an hour for a callback from the OOH service, who again went through all my details before arranging a callback.
It seems like an extra step that wasn't needed, and a waste of money. If they simply did the job of the OOH call answered and arranged a call back from a doctor, fine. But they arrange a callback to arrange a callback. Just seems like they're wasting money.

supersuzie50

However, if elderly mother, aged 92, falls over and is unable to get up due to frailty and labyrinthitis ( severe vertigo) - who do I call 999 or 111?
I find it really confusing.
The ambulance men have always been wonderful in the past.
I have only called them twice in the last year but I am wondering now, who do I call.
She also has careline but they take hours and my mother gets more and more stressed.
There are so many numbers now - it is even more confusing.

Handsome90

supersuzie50 wrote: »

However, if elderly mother, aged 92, falls over and is unable to get up due to frailty and labyrinthitis ( severe vertigo) - who do I call 999 or 111?
I find it really confusing.
The ambulance men have always been wonderful in the past.
I have only called them twice in the last year but I am wondering now, who do I call.
She also has careline but they take hours and my mother gets more and more stressed.
There are so many numbers now - it is even more confusing.

I would advise you to call 999/112. The emergency services will categorise your call depending on your circumstances. If you are not sure, it's always a good idea to dial 999. After all, it's better to be safe and sorry. I don't think the emergency services will consider your call as a time waste.

Dave_C_2

After a recent fall I tried to ring NHS direct on the old number and was told to ring the new 111 service. No biggie there it's only three numbers.

Once through (straight away) they took my name, address and phone number in case the phone was disconnected. I was then asked what my symptoms were. This first person was obviously triage, redirecting to ambulance or (in my case) an experienced nurse. Don't know what other options, say Out of Hours Doctors were available.

Put straight through to the nurse and had to give my name address and phone number again (this should have been automatic on computer). I was obviously asked to repeat symptoms etc. but this time in a lot more detail.

Eventually it was decided that nothing needed to be done straight away, but to report to my GP for a check-up the next day. If it gets worse ring back.

All-in-all no problems with the 111 call.

Check-up confirmed that I was OK apart from bruised, possibly cracked ribs

Dave