NHS 111

Patients can call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and calls are free from landlines and mobile phones. The NHS 111 service is staffed by a team of trained and regularly audited health advisers, supported by clinical advisers who are experienced nurses and paramedics. As well as the telephone service, we provide clinical support for the NHS 111 online service 111.nhs.uk with clinician assistance where the choice is selected.

Within the telephone service, our advisers ask patients questions using prompted questions from NHS Pathways to assess their symptoms, then through access to the national directory of services give them the healthcare advice they need or direct them to the most appropriate local health service. Other support can be provided through many routes which may include speaking with one of our team in clinical assessment services.

We can arrange support for those who need to attend an urgent treatment centre (“UTC”) with a booked arrival time to help improve their experience and reduce pressure on the hospital. We can also arrange home care and out-of-hours doctors.

Where possible, the NHS 111 team will book the patient an appointment or transfer them directly to the people they need to speak to. If our NHS 111 adviser thinks the patient needs an emergency ambulance, they will immediately arrange for one to be sent to them.