NHS 111NHS 111An Overview

June 2015

Jessica PerkinsNHS 111 Communications & Engagement

WEST MIDLANDS

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• To understand what the public and patients want

from the NHS 111 service now and in the future.

• To understand how different patient groups want to access the service moving forward, and what would work best for them.

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INTRODUCTION – PURPOSE OF PATIENT ENGAGEMENT

What is NHS 111?

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WHAT IS NHS 111?

• 111 is the NHS non-emergency number. • It’s fast, easy and free• It is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.• Call 111 and speak to a highly trained advisor, supported by

healthcare professionals. They will ask you a series of questions to assess your symptoms and immediately direct you to the best medical care for you.

NHS 111 replaced NHS Direct which closed down on 31 March 2014

The NHS provides urgent and emergency care

• Ring 999 for life threatening emergencies

• Ring 111 for urgent help and advice e.g. upset stomach and being sick constantly, child complaining of earache which is worsening

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WHAT IS URGENT AND EMERGENCY CARE?

How do you access non- emergency healthcare?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

• When you call 111 you will be assessed by fully trained advisers who are supported by experienced nurses and paramedics. They will ask you questions to assess your symptoms and give you the healthcare advice you need or direct you straightaway to the local service that can help you best.

• If the NHS 111 team think you need an ambulance, they will request one immediately.

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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CALL NHS 111

NHS 111 West Midlands

Watch video…

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kgx2yUyZIJw

When have you had to call NHS 111?

Share your experience

WHEN SHOULD YOU CALL IT?

• You need medical help fast, but it’s not a 999 emergency• You don’t know who to call for medical help or you

don’t have a GP to call• You think you need to go to A&E or another NHS urgent

care service; or• You require health information or reassurance about

what to do next

NHS 111

If you have used NHS 111, what was your experience like?Share your feedback…How can the service be improved?What did you like about the service?

NHS 111 is available across the whole of England, making it easier for the public to access urgent healthcare services when they need help fast

Around a million people a month use NHS 111 and are satisfied with the service

NHS 111 services are positioned across the country, provided by your local Clinical Commissioning Groups who hold the budget for local healthcare provision

NHS 111 intends to direct people to the right local service, first time, or gives health advice that is best able to meet a persons needs

It is important to provide patients with urgent and emergency care services, allowing access to the right care

An online directory (or catalogue) of services that is linked to NHS 111 helps with this

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NHS 111 AS IT IS TODAY

What do you think are the drawbacks/limitations of phone access to healthcare?

• Provide an online version of NHS 111• Direct booking to more services• Improve access when a telephone

service is not appropriate• Text message or email sent to caller

confirming information given over the phone

• Reduce amount of information asked next time you use the service

POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS

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A major strand of future work is to catch up with the opportunities offered by digital technology, such as online, smartphone applications, email, text.

What is your vision for the future and development of 111 service?

NHS 111 PROJECT AVATAR

Access to the NHS 111 service has traditionally been made by callers phoning into the service. To support multi-channel access into the NHS 111 service new ways of interacting with the service need to be considered. The following high-level objectives have been identified:• Ability to access the service from a mobile device • Ability to access clinical decision support mediated by a virtual nurse• Ability to make a referral into a NHS 111 service • Ability for a NHS 111 Health Advisor to access the referral and perform

a call-back, update the case and perform a PDS trace • Ability for a NHS 111 Clinical Advisor to access to access the referral

and perform a call-back, update the case and perform a PDS trace and onward refer

• A mobile phone application is currently being developed which will engage in natural conversation with patients

• A virtual nurse avatar will assist patients in assessing their medical conditions and deliver appropriate health education

WHAT IS NHS 111 PROJECT AVATAR?

Testing

A key focus within the development of this work is understanding the patient view of the digital technique, enabling patients to test the platform and to feedback their views and opinions. This feedback would then be incorporated within the development of the software.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE PART OF THE VIRTUAL PATIENT NETWORK?

We are continually striving to develop a service that meets the needs of our diverse population, and we can only do this by checking back with patients. As such, we’d like to continue the conversation with you!

On-going involvement will not require face to face meetings, but contact over the phone, or over email, to ask questions about specific ideas for the service. We consider this to be a ‘Virtual Network’ that acts as a ‘test-bed’ for innovation and service development.

If you would like to be part of the Virtual Network please register your interest by sending your contact details to:engagement.westmidlands111@nhs.net