By Richard Johnstone | 17 February 2012
Doctors have urged the government to delay the introduction of the NHS helpline that will replace NHS Direct in England.
The British Medical Association had said previously it would support the principle of the new NHS 111 telephone number, which will deal with 'urgent but not life-threatening' health issues.
However, Dr Laurence Buckman, chair of the BMA’s GPs committee, has today written to Health Secretary Andrew Lansley expressing ‘serious misgivings’ about progress being made ahead of the national rollout in April 2013.
These include a deadline that does not leave enough time to assess the results of three pilot areas covering County Durham and Darlington, Luton, and Nottingham and Lincolnshire.
Buckman said that feedback from GPs in these areas suggests that there are a number of unresolved issues. The implementation risks being ‘rushed through’ in the rest of the country without learning these lessons.
‘GPs have been telling us for quite some time about problems with the way NHS 111 is being rolled out and the wider impact it could have on the health service,’ he said. ‘For example, in Shropshire GPs are worried that patients will actually receive lower quality care as the clinicians who triage all calls to their out-of-hours provider are to be replaced by non-clinicians when NHS 111 takes over.
‘If there isn’t a pause then the government could end up implementing something which doesn’t work to the benefit of all patients, which could unnecessarily overburden the ambulance service and GP surgeries… and ultimately cost the taxpayer a lot of money. GPs are happy to work with NHS 111 to iron out any problems, but they need time in order to do that.’
The body that represents ambulance trusts in England agreed that the current timeframe is ‘too tight to ensure consistent service’.
Ambulance Service Network director Jo Webber warned against a ‘headlong rush’ to roll out NHS 111 across the country before the pilots have been evaluated properly.
‘NHS 111 has massive potential to improve care for patients as it can put them in touch with the most appropriate service quickly. But it will only realise this potential if providers of services and those who commission them come together in a co-ordinated and strategic way to make it work.
‘This takes time to develop and the initial results from the pilots suggest that NHS 111 is really delivering where strong working relationships have been in place for some time.’
