You may have heard that the NHS Direct telephone service is to be replaced by the new 111 service. The 111 service will give advice on health problems and where to seek treatment and will give access to out-of-hours service or ambulance service where necessary. It will run alongside the 999 emergency service which will still give the emergency ambulance service as before.
While NHS Direct was staffed by nurses and clinicians this is not true of the 111 service. But the service uses a national computer guidance and advice system and all its telephone operators benefit from a six-week training course. Translation to many languages will also be available.
Some areas have experienced difficulties in operating the new service. But local residents should be reassured by the fact that our 111 service will be operated by the South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust. The trust has been operating the service in Hampshire since January of this year. Introduction of the 111 service in Reading is likely to be in the last week of April - but this is not yet confirmed.