Retired doctors could work from home handling non-emergency 111 calls in latest initiative to ease NHS burden
- Health bosses want experienced staff to play a bigger role in assessing calls
- Follows concerns that unmedically trained call handlers are ‘risk averse’
- The review will also consider the use of artificial intelligence to inform care decisions
The non-emergency NHS 111 service will allow more staff to work from home and recruit more retired doctors as part of a major overhaul.
Health bosses hope to make it a more attractive place to work and want experienced medical staff to play a bigger role in assessing calls.
It follows concerns that non-medically trained call handlers are ‘risk averse’ and refer too many people to overcrowded A&E or 999.
Officials will consider whether they can safely increase staff numbers by reducing the amount of training new hires must undergo.
The non-emergency NHS 111 service will allow more staff to work from home and recruit more retired doctors as part of a major overhaul, following concerns that unmedically trained call handlers are ” risk averse” and direct too many people to overcrowded or 999 A&E
The Department of Health and NHS plan to improve emergency and emergency care includes pilot projects to encourage the public to turn to 111 instead of A&E.
Department of Health and NHS plan to improve emergency and emergency care includes pilot schemes to encourage the public to turn to 111 instead of A&E
An “in-depth review” will also look at how 111 can better use artificial intelligence to inform decisions about the care patients need.
The Department of Health and NHS plan to improve emergency and emergency care includes pilot projects to encourage the public to turn to 111 instead of A&E.
The plan says that from April retired clinicians and those nearing retirement will be asked to work at 111 rather than leave the NHS.
NHS 111, which will be integrated into the NHS app, has struggled this winter with more than half of calls dropped on some days last month.
