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111 service in wakefield

Posted By Ifiwereasalmon

"111 service in wakefield"

About: NHS 111 NHS Direct NHS Trust Pinderfields General Hospital / Accident and emergency Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

(as a friend),

A relative was unwell yesterday, so we initially looked online for nhs direct, following which it states, ring 08454647 for information advice support, 111 if you need urgent medical care that is not an emergency, and 999 for an emergency.

I am not sure how you define urgent but not an emergency. So we called 084454647, to be told that is no longer operational in wakefield and to dial 111. Upon dialing 111 there were 8 callers in the queue so it took 10 minutes before the call was answered. Upon answering the call and taking information, they said they would send an ambulance to check the patient. Upon arriving the ambulance took the person to a and e. Following which a and e screened and sent them to a GP that was on site.

I believe the information online can be improved, potentially giving examples of urgent but not an emergency, it is becoming confusing who to ring. In addition it is not clear that the 08454647 number is been discontinued.

In addition to this the telephone filtering should have advised a visit to the GP walk in, an ambulance wasnt required or attendance at A and E.

Hopefully this feedback will enable the system to be improved to save NHS resources and make it simpler for the public.

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Responses

Response from Anne-Marie Haigh, Quality Co-ordinator, Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 10 years ago
Anne-Marie Haigh
Quality Co-ordinator,
Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Submitted on 02/05/2013 at 07:59
Published on Care Opinion at 11:20

Dear Ifiwereasalmon

Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry you experienced an initial delay getting through to NHS 111, we have been working hard to train more staff and ensure telephone calls are answered quickly.

NHS 111 has currently been launched to access the GP out of hours service and you are correct, there has been minimal information regarding general calls. In the future there will be planned national publicity explaining what the difference between urgent and medical attention and 999 is. It is difficult until questions have been asked and an assessment undertaken to decide where a patient needs to attend for the most appropriate care.

The 08454647 number has been phased out across England in stages. We will pass on your comments to the national NHS 111 Communications team.

With best wishes

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