NHS East Midland’s top A&E doctor is urging people to use the NHS 111 services this winter, as the health service launches its annual campaign with adverts across online video, radio, podcasts and social media.
The campaign comes as the NHS ramps up its plans to deliver the safest possible care this winter, including the delivery of millions of winter vaccines, smarter use of data, and more care in the community including virtual wards and urgent community response teams.
In the Midlands, 103,158 residents accessed NHS 111 online or through the NHS App in September of this year. Of these, 46,839 were in the East Midlands. Of those 46,839 East Midlands residents who accessed NHS 111 online or through the NHS App, 5,942 were referred to and sought Emergency Treatment in the East Midlands.
NHS Midlands received 281,406 NHS 111 calls in September and 320,540 in October this year.
Dr Jessica Sokolov, Medical Director, NHS Midlands, said: “As last week’s freeze made clear, winter is coming to the Midlands and, with it, increased demand on our urgent and emergency care here.
“This winter, use NHS 111 first if it isn’t an emergency. The NHS 111 service can assess and direct people to the most appropriate local service, and, if needed, it can arrange a call back from a nurse, doctor or paramedic.”
East Midlands residents should use 999 or A&E services for life threatening emergencies and serious injuries, and to otherwise ‘get to the help they need’ by calling 111 and using 111 online or via the NHS App.
It is estimated that up to two-fifths of A&E attendances in England are avoidable or could be better treated elsewhere. While nearly one in six (16.3% or 124,038) 999 calls last month in England were completed with clinical advice over the phone, up by more than 150% since before the pandemic (6.3% in October 2019) as the NHS recruited more senior clinicians to call centres.
NHS 111 is an easy and convenient way for people to get urgent help for a wide range of health problems from the comfort of their own home, avoiding an unnecessary A&E trip or 999 call. It can assess and direct people to the most appropriate local service, including urgent treatment centres, GP practices, and consultations with a pharmacist. If needed it can arrange a call back from a nurse, doctor or paramedic or provide self-treatment advice over the phone.
The 111 service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
While people should always call 999 or go to A&E in an emergency when someone is seriously ill or injured or their life is at risk, NHS 111 is an easy and convenient way to get urgent help in other situations.
Pressure has risen across other parts of the NHS with the health service going into winter busier than ever before, after a record few months of A&E and ambulance demand.
Earlier this year the NHS started offering crisis mental health support through NHS 111, with people of all ages able to select a mental health option when calling to speak to a trained mental health professional.
The change is aimed at improving mental health provision and providing patients with the care they need in a timely manner.
People who need help in another language can call 111 and ask for an interpreter, British Sign Language (BSL) users can contact 111 using the NHS 111 BSL interpreter service by visiting 111.nhs.uk, and text relay users can call 18001 111.
For more information go to www.nhs.uk/111.
