08.05.13
NHS 111 failures ‘extremely worrying’ – RCGP
NHS 111 has suffered from significant difficulties in its first few weeks, with many patients unable to get through to the advice line and some services suspended.
The free number caters for patients with urgent but not life-threatening symptoms, and replaces NHS Direct. Seven of the 46 services across England are not yet in operation and others have been cancelled or are being supported by NHS Direct.
The BMA has raised safety concerns over the delays, and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) warned that the service must be more effectively supported.
Dr Clare Gerada, chair of the RCGP, said: “It is extremely worrying that there is still so much uncertainty around the delivery and reliability of the advice provided by NHS 111 in some areas.
“We are also concerned that patients are losing confidence in the new service before it is even fully up and running. We call on NHS England to provide more reassurance about its effectiveness and ability to deliver the necessary standards of care for all patients using the service, right across England.”
Pulse magazine has reported at least 22 ‘possible serious untoward’ incidents, three involving deaths, recorded in connection with NHS 111. The system is now under review.
A survey obtained by the Independent found over 60% of GPs in the north-east described their experience of the service as “poor” or “very poor” and over 80% reported that out-of-hours care had worsened following the roll-out of NHS 111.
But NHS England said NHS 111 was showing early signs of improvement.
Chief nursing officer Jane Cummings said: “We need to look at individual cases where perhaps advice was incorrect or not as good as we would have wanted it to be. But I think overall the message we are getting is that while in some places there is still some way to go, it is better.”
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