Go-ahead for Shropshire to move to NHS 111 service

Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin clinical commissioning groups both supported the transfer at their board meetings this week.

The current Shropdoc telephone number will no longer be in use from that date.

Health bosses say it is being done in line with national policy.

Dr Julie Davies, director of performance and delivery for Shropshire CCG, told a recent meeting of the board that Shropdoc has been signposting patients and carers to NHS 111 since April 2017.

She said the full transfer to 111 had been delayed to address issues on the Welsh border.

Residents in Wales who are registered with a GP in the county still have to use the Shropdoc number and cannot access the 111 number.

Powys is planning to adopt the Welsh NHS 111 from July 1.

Dr Davies said if there is a risk this will be delayed there is a business continuity plan which would be brought into action.

But Graham Shepherd, chair of Shropshire Patients Group, raised concerns to the board.

He said patients need to be made aware of the processes that would be followed when ringing NHS 111.

Mr Shepherd said: "The first dozen questions everyone has to answer.

"People get fed up.

"They don't go through that when they go to Shropdoc now.

"We need to make patients in Shropshire aware that it's going to be different."

Dr Julian Povey, chair of Shropshire CCG, said there would be a national advertising campaign to promote the use of NHS 111.

He previously said the impact the changeover will have on A&E is uncertain.

Bosses have confirmed that any patients who need to see a clinician out-of-hours will still be seen by a local GP.

Dr Russell Muirhead, chairman of Shropdoc, said it was working with Care UK, the organisation that provides the NHS 111 service, to ensure that the integration of the two services continued to provide a safe and quality service for patients.

Shropdoc’s contract with the CCGs will end on September 30.

Sarah-Jane Graham, national director integrated urgent care, Care UK said: "The NHS 111 service is now offered across the whole of England.

"111 is the number people are encouraged to call if they require urgent medical advice and it is not an emergency. It is free and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

"NHS 111 is much more than a helpline – if you're worried about an urgent medical concern, you can call 111 to speak to a fully trained adviser.

"Depending on the situation, the 111 team can connect you to a nurse, emergency dentist or even a GP, and can arrange face-to-face appointments should you need one."