111 Call Centres

[SecondLife]

I have read lots of bad reports about the new 111 non emergency service that has been introduced, in the past I have used NHS Direct and they were really caring and extremely helpful. It was with great trepidation that I had to use the 111 service on Saturday for my son who was staying with us as he was suffering severe chest pains. Maybe we are lucky with the service provided in our area but they were really good, giving advice over the phone and staying on line until the paramedics arrived. Credit where credit due.

[katieoxo60]

Apparently not all areas are having problems with the new111 service, as your area shows. The service is new so there are bound to be hiccups. It does not say in the reports which areas have had problems. They may even have been sorted out by now.

[Easybreather]

Glad your son was able to receive help fairly rapidly and hope that he is now ok.

I, too, have heard good reports. I think that we need to remember that "bad news" sells and "good news" is boring, so we only hear about the few cases where it has gone wrong, not the many where it has gone well.

I also feel the same about the removal of DLA, ATOS and the Tribunals - do not recall hearing from the masses for whom the system has worked well.

[azaard]

Personally i think its waste of resources,the ambulance and paramedics are stretched enough as it is

if its not a medical emergency, then what wrong with NHS direct, or your out of hours doctor, to many people use it as a fast track to A&E .

[SecondLife in reply to azaard]

I could have taken him straight to A&E (which is where he ended up) but I was unsure what the chest pains were as he is also a Type 1 diabetic. We are not allowed to use NHS Direct here any more.

[Easybreather in reply to SecondLife]

Taken from SecondLife's post "new 111 non emergency service"

it is my understanding that this new service has replaced (or will in time replace) both NHS Direct and "out of hours" Doctor's service

[SecondLife in reply to Easybreather]

That is my understanding as well, certainly we had leaflets in the surgery which gave us details of how to call for medical advice now. So far our out of hours service has not changed

[azaard]

My comment was nothing personal, apart from emphysema and asthma i have a blocked coronary artery and severe heart disease, and unstable angina pectoris, you were right to ring 111, any chest pain can be serious, but being a regular 999 customer when things get out of hand with the old ticker, I've notice a major increase in the emergency services being called out for minor injuries which a plaster and a bit of basic first aid knowledge is all that's needed, sorry for the rant, irks me when i see little Jonny arriving by ambulance with a pan stuck o his because mums to embarrassed to get the bus or ask a neighbour, and before you , ask yes i have seen it, 11/12/2012 i nearly saw me of in fits of laughter, didn't do,me a right lot of good.

H

[SecondLife in reply to azaard]

It's ok and I would agree with you about the misuse of the emergency services. I had a fair old rant last week as I waited for my husband to have his cataract surgery as there was an European woman waiting for some sort of eye surgery she had arrived in the country the previous Thursday, went to A&E on the Friday with something which looked very much like it had been there for some time, surgery scheduled for the Monday and couldn't speak a word of English so the hospital had to arrange for a translator to be with her.

[azaard]

Yep it takes p**** doesn't it