NHS 111 (England)
Encyclopedia
NHS 111 is an English
medical helpline, with a free to call three digit number, currently in pilot stage in three areas across England, and due to be rolled out nationally by 2013, at which point it will replace the NHS Direct
0845 4647 number which has been running since 1998. The pilot areas are in County Durham
& Darlington
, Luton
and the East Midlands
(Nottingham
and Lincolnshire
) where the service is currently offered and being refined for rollout.
The 111 helpline is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year and is intended for 'urgent but not life-threatening' health issues and complements the long-established 112 and 999 emergency telephone numbers for more serious matters, although 111 operators are able to dispatch ambulances when appropriate. The 111 non-emergency helpline is for health issues only; there is a 101 non-emergency helpline for police matters.
in December of that year. The health services of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales will be able to introduce their own similar services using the same number if they choose to do so.
In late August 2010, the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government proposed that 111 could replace the existing NHS Direct
telephone helpline in England. The suggestion of replacing NHS Direct with 111 proved controversial as it was seen by some critics as a "cut-price" replacement, due to likely replacement of NHS Direct nurses with NHS 111 telephone advisors lacking professional training in healthcare. Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has since denied plans to close NHS Direct in England, claiming that existing staff would provide the new service and that merely the number would change.
NHS trust in running some of the services. NHS Direct are running the trials in Nottingham, Lincolnshire and Luton and are providing health information advice alongside the front line call handlers from the North East Ambulance Service
in the County Durham and Darlington trial.
The first trial, in County Durham and Darlington, started on 23 August 2010, with Nottingham starting on 18 November, Lincolnshire on 22 November and Luton on 3 December.
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England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
medical helpline, with a free to call three digit number, currently in pilot stage in three areas across England, and due to be rolled out nationally by 2013, at which point it will replace the NHS Direct
NHS Direct
NHS Direct is the health advice and information service provided by the National Health Service for residents and visitors in England, with advice offered 24 hours a day, every day of the year through telephone contact on the national 0845 46 47 number, web based symptom checkers at and via...
0845 4647 number which has been running since 1998. The pilot areas are in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
& Darlington
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
, Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
and the East Midlands
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
(Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
and Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
) where the service is currently offered and being refined for rollout.
The 111 helpline is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year and is intended for 'urgent but not life-threatening' health issues and complements the long-established 112 and 999 emergency telephone numbers for more serious matters, although 111 operators are able to dispatch ambulances when appropriate. The 111 non-emergency helpline is for health issues only; there is a 101 non-emergency helpline for police matters.
Origins and development
During 2007, the Department of Health's Our NHS, Our Future report identified confusion surrounding access to certain NHS services in England and suggested the introduction of a national, three-digit number for out-of-hours healthcare services could help simplify the situation. Arrangements to identify and secure a suitable non-emergency number for England began in July 2009, with the number 111 allocated by telecommunications regulator OfcomOfcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
in December of that year. The health services of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales will be able to introduce their own similar services using the same number if they choose to do so.
In late August 2010, the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government proposed that 111 could replace the existing NHS Direct
NHS Direct
NHS Direct is the health advice and information service provided by the National Health Service for residents and visitors in England, with advice offered 24 hours a day, every day of the year through telephone contact on the national 0845 46 47 number, web based symptom checkers at and via...
telephone helpline in England. The suggestion of replacing NHS Direct with 111 proved controversial as it was seen by some critics as a "cut-price" replacement, due to likely replacement of NHS Direct nurses with NHS 111 telephone advisors lacking professional training in healthcare. Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has since denied plans to close NHS Direct in England, claiming that existing staff would provide the new service and that merely the number would change.
Management of the service
The government announced its intention for the new NHS 111 number to be run by various providers on an "any qualified provider" basis, with an expected ongoing role for the incumbent NHS DirectNHS Direct
NHS Direct is the health advice and information service provided by the National Health Service for residents and visitors in England, with advice offered 24 hours a day, every day of the year through telephone contact on the national 0845 46 47 number, web based symptom checkers at and via...
NHS trust in running some of the services. NHS Direct are running the trials in Nottingham, Lincolnshire and Luton and are providing health information advice alongside the front line call handlers from the North East Ambulance Service
North East Ambulance Service
The North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust is the authority responsible for providing NHS ambulance services in North East England, covering the counties of County Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear and the boroughs of Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and...
in the County Durham and Darlington trial.
The first trial, in County Durham and Darlington, started on 23 August 2010, with Nottingham starting on 18 November, Lincolnshire on 22 November and Luton on 3 December.
European number
The NHS 111 service will also be available via the harmonised European number for medical advice 116 117 under reciprocal agreements made with fellow European countries to simplify and improve public access to recognised 'Harmonised Services of Social ValueHarmonised service of social value
A harmonised service of social value is a type of freephone service available in the European Union, which answers a specific social need, in particular which contributes to the well-being or safety of citizens, or particular groups of citizens, or helps citizens in difficulty...
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