“I didn’t know NHS 111 has this really holistic service online.”
With colder temperatures and seasonal illnesses, winter signals a surge in demand for NHS services. To ensure people get the right help quickly, local care partnerships across south east London are working to raise awareness of NHS 111 online.
NHS 111 online, available at www.111.nhs.uk and on the NHS App, is a convenient, 24/7 service for urgent but non-life-threatening medical needs. It helps people access advice and treatment, and can direct them to the most appropriate care, including arranging a callback from a clinician if needed.
Teams from Lambeth Together and Partnership Southwark have produced a series of short videos highlighting the benefits of NHS 111 online. These videos supplement existing winter resources such as the SEL Guide to Health Services and national NHS 111 campaigns, highlighting health needs where online access is particularly effective, including:
- Emergency repeat prescriptions (when you have run out or are about to run out of prescribed medicines)
- Urgent dental problems
- Diarrhoea and vomiting
While most of those we spoke to were aware of NHS 111 phoneline service, few realised the service is available online. When informed about features like access to emergency prescriptions, urgent dental care or the quick availability of the service on the NHS App, participants acknowledged that this is “making things much easier” for people and offered that they would be making use of NHS 111 online service from now on.
It is estimated that up to two fifths of A&E attendances are avoidable or better treated elsewhere, so it is essential that patients are directed to the right healthcare services for their needs. By engaging with people in Brixton and Walworth, we hope to increase current awareness and highlight how NHS 111 online can make accessing care easier for everyone. The aim is for this series of short videos to help these efforts; supporting wider NHS priorities to manage winter pressures and improve patient experience and outcome.
“NHS 111 online, whether used on a web browser or through the NHS App, is an excellent option for patients to assess their care needs. It is easy to use and allows patients to quickly access services, including emergency prescriptions and emergency dental care. This is particularly useful if your GP practice is closed or you don’t have a regular dentist.’ – Kerry Lipsitz, Director for Urgent & Emergency Care, NHS South East London ICB.