Agenda item

This report updates Members on the NHS 111 service since its introduction.

Members received a report which updated them on the performance of the service NHS 111. Dr Nigel Wells GP lead for the Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (VOYCCG) was in attendance to answer any queries that Members might have.

Comments and questions from Members regarding the report included;

·        The existence of the service was still unknown to many members of the public, including retired GP’s.

·        Why had there been no national advertising for the number?

·        The lack of clarity experienced by patients as to where they were being directed.

·        What quantity of feedback on the service from the public was available?

·        What measures were in place to help patients with mental health issues using the service?

·        Had it been more successful in keeping people away from Accident and Emergency departments than the NHS Direct service?

In relation to advertising, Members were told that they should expect more publicity about the service this year but that there had been problems in this area nationally. Members felt it needed to be underlined that 111 should be seen as being important as people did not have to go through their GP’s in order to access the service.

Regarding the lack of clarity of direction in where patients would receive their care, it was noted that the clinical pathways triage model used by the service would mean that only at a certain point would Clinical Advisers be involved in the call.

However, some Members pointed out that patients did not seem clear if they were being put through to the Out of Hours service and so ended up in the A & E department at the hospital. Another Member shared an anecdote about how her daughter had to ring the service a number of times before she had been directed to the correct place for care, and that on every call she had to repeat information. In response, it was reported that the technology of health care had lagged behind the training.

In relation to patient feedback, this was fed back to Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) who then passed this on to regional governance committees who continually looked at and worked up this feedback.

It was noted that for patients with mental health issues, special patients notes were available for clinical advisers to access but this was subject to GPs uploaded this information on to the system. Members were told that more information could be brought back to the Committee about this.

Regarding the effectiveness of the service, Members were reminded that NHS Direct was not intended to be a one number service. The 111 Service was a clinical triage model and that the level of complaints received were low and were most related to misdirection from provider to provider rather than the level or suitability of care received. 

He also confirmed that the service had taken one million calls from in the Yorkshire and Humber area since the service was launched.

Resolved:  That the report be noted.

Reason:     In order for Members to be kept up to date with the performance of NHS 111 in York.