The recent briefing paper for the Nottinghamshire Scrutiny Committee has revealed compelling insights into the performance of NHS 111 services.
NHS 111
The NHS 111 service is designed to help residents access urgent medical help and can be accessed online, via the NHS app or by calling 111. The service provides advice on how residents can look after themselves at home, arrange callbacks from medical staff, provide signposting advice on how to access urgent specialist help and if necessary advise on accessing 999/emergency services.
DHU NHS 111
As an integral part of the national NHS 111 services, DHU NHS 111 responds to over 2.5 million calls annually from various centers, including Derby, Chesterfield, Leicester, and Oldbury. This service’s importance is further amplified as it also assists the London Ambulance Service with their 111 calls since 2021.
DHU Healthcare is the service provider for the NHS 111 service in Nottinghamshire, as well as elsewhere in the East Midlands and beyond. The organisation has been delivering the service in Nottinghamshire for over a decade. The service has not previously been the subject of scrutiny by the Nottinghamshire Health Scrutiny Committee – historically, service performance was considered by the former Joint City and County Health Scrutiny Committee.
Exceptional Call Response Times
Nottinghamshire’s performance in mean call response times and abandonment figures stands out nationally. The region consistently achieves a high percentage of the service level agreement, notably answering calls to the service within 60 seconds. Remarkably, Nottinghamshire’s average speed to answer a call is just 30 seconds, significantly lower than the national average of 126 seconds. This efficiency is not common, with some service providers taking nearly five minutes to respond.
Low Abandonment Rates
In terms of call abandonment, Nottinghamshire’s figures are impressively low at 2.5%. This rate is considerably better than the national figure, which stands at 7.2%, with many providers experiencing rates of over 13%.
Staffing and Service Capacity
DHU111 employs a robust mix of Service Advisors, Health Advisors (non-clinical), and Clinicians, including Dental Nurses, Mental Health Nurses, Pharmacists, and Paramedics with urgent and emergency care experience. The clinical teams are supported by Triage Practitioners, Clinical Practitioners, and Advanced Clinical Practitioners, with oversight from Clinical Director Dr. Tarun Sharma.
The staffing breakdown shows a significant commitment to clinical roles, ensuring a well-rounded and skilled workforce. This comprehensive team structure ensures that the service can handle a wide range of health concerns efficiently and effectively.
Managing Winter Pressures
The service’s performance under winter pressures has been commendable. Through targeted recruitment campaigns and structured training programs, DHU111 ensures staffing levels are adequate to meet the increased demand typical of the winter season. Over the recent bank holiday period, including Christmas and New Year, the service met the Service Level Agreement of answering calls within 60 seconds 99% of the time, significantly outperforming the national average.
Recognition and Quality Assurance
The service boasts an ‘OUTSTANDING’ rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the first in the country to achieve this status. This rating reflects the high level of compassion, kindness, dignity, and respect with which the staff treat people.
The report will be discussed at a Health Scrutiny Committee on 16 January.
