NHS Direct comments on NHS 111
31 Aug 2010
Commenting on news reports about NHS Direct and NHS 111, Nick Chapman, Chief Executive of NHS Direct, said:
“The Government has not announced that NHS Direct as an organisation is being closed down. What the Government has announced is its intention to eventually replace the current NHS Direct telephone number (0845 46 47) with the new 111 number. When detailed plans are made to roll out the service nationally, we expect NHS Direct and its staff to play a key role in taking the new service forward.
“The more memorable number will clearly help patients find the new service more easily. NHS 111 is intended to work in an integrated way with local GPs, out-of-hours services, ambulance services and hospitals, for the benefit of patients and to help the NHS become more efficient. In the interim, NHS Direct will continue with the business of offering advice and guidance to patients via the 0845 46 47 service and providing other local and national telephone and web-based services on behalf of our commissioners. There will be no disruption to any of these services, and we will ensure above all that there is continuity of service to patients.
"NHS Direct is working with all of the local health communities involved in the three pilot sites for NHS 111 to make these first tests of the new approach a success for patients and the NHS in their area. Currently, in the North East, NHS Direct is working with the Ambulance Service to handle any calls relating to health information or medicines enquiries. When the pilots in the East Midlands and East of England are launched we will be providing call handling, nurse assessment, health information and onward referral where necessary.”
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