Medical advice and urgent healthcare information can now be accessed by calling a new freephone number – 111.

The new helpline has been launched across Norfolk for all non-emergency healthcare calls.

Patients or families needing immediate help with a medical enquiry but who may not be sure if they need treatment or where they can get help, can call the easy-to-remember 111 number 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

At the same time, members of the public are being reminded to use all NHS services – including 111 – appropriately. There many be many instances for example when self care, a chat with your community pharmacist or an appointment with your GP or practice nurse are the best options.

111 is there for that next step.

Patients can call the freephone number for a range of reasons: if it’s a non-life-threatening need for treatment and care, a question about medication, a medical concern about yourself of another person, a query that cannot wait until the following day for your GP or to find your nearest NHS dentist.

Dr Penny Ayling, Clinical Lead for 111 and practising GP at Reepham Surgery, said: “The major benefit of 111 is that with just one phone call a patient can be directed to the most appropriate local service. If this is a GP appointment the clinical information will be sent to that GP so when the patient is seen there is no need to re-triage. This means the patient will not be expected to answer the same questions several times. 111 provides a seamless service that aims to significantly improve the patient’s experience of accessing emergency care.

“This will have benefits to the health system in that it will reduce the number of inappropriate attendances at A&E and those patients who do need to be seen at A&E will be seen quicker.”

The 111 service takes over from NHS Direct and will be provided by the East of England Ambulance Service. Calls from mobiles or landlines are free. The service differs from the existing NHS Direct telephone helpline in that call handlers are able to inform the individual ringing of the local services available at that time and if required ambulances can be despatched without delay.

Dr Nick Morton, Associate Medical Director at EEAST and local practising GP, said: “The key difference between 111 and NHS Direct is that 111 is a local service staffed by local people with the knowledge of local information for anyone who calls.

“Patients only need to remember three numbers for healthcare: their GP practice, 111 and 999 for medical emergencies. We hope 111 results in people using the healthcare system appropriately and to the best advantage.”

The service has already gone live across Great Yarmouth and Waveney area but is now fully operational across the whole of the county. People outside the area who ring the service in error will have their call dealt with.

The new helpline is part of a national service being rolled out across the country. More information is available online at www.nhs.uk/111

All calls will be recorded so if there is a need for a clinician to return to a call to confirm what was discussed this will be possible.

Notes:
Some areas of the country, including Great Yarmouth and Waveney, already have live 111 helplines. All areas of England will have a live 111 service by October 2013.

Members of the public should note the 111 number runs alongside Norfolk Constabulary’s non-urgent number 101 for police calls.