Coronavirus fears spark huge rise in calls to NHS 111 in Derbyshire

Calls to the NHS 111 service surged in Derbyshire last month as demand rose amid the coronavirus crisis, new figures show.
Calls to the NHS 111 line in Derbyshire have soared in the last month. Photo: Lauren HurleyCalls to the NHS 111 line in Derbyshire have soared in the last month. Photo: Lauren Hurley
Calls to the NHS 111 line in Derbyshire have soared in the last month. Photo: Lauren Hurley

Health think tank the Nuffield Trust said A&E attendances nationally have dropped in line with soaring numbers of non-emergency calls to the helpline, sparking fears some people in need of urgent medical care are putting off seeking help.

NHS England data shows that the Derbyshire 111 helpline received 72,338 calls in March – up by 37,900​ from the 34,414 recorded in February and more than double the 30,933 calls received in March 2019.

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Of the calls received last month, 21,463 – 30 per cent – were abandoned by callers kept waiting for 30 seconds or more, a much higher proportion than the one per cent abandoned a year previously in Derbyshire.

Across England, the helpline received almost three million calls in March – an average of 96,000 per day.

Sarah Scobie, the Nuffield Trust's deputy director of research, said NHS 111 was a ‘critical tool’ in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

She added: “The NHS has expanded capacity for NHS 111 by hiring more call handlers and developing a dedicated online service for people concerned about symptoms of Covid-19.

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“In March 2020, we saw a sudden increase in calls to 111 call centres.

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“This trend is reflected in recent NHS performance stats, which has also seen the number of people attending A&E fall by a fifth from the previous month.

“This could indicate some success in the government’s strategy to direct people with suspected Covid-19 symptoms through the NHS 111 service and take pressure off frontline services.”

NHS England is urging people only to use the 111 phone number if they cannot get help online.

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An NHS spokesman said: “Every NHS service is stepping up as part of a nationwide and co-ordinated response to the coronavirus, with NHS 111 continuing to play a crucial role, not just in the NHS response to the coronavirus outbreak but in making sure people can get help for all the other health issues that they and their families are facing.

“The NHS remains open for business for all urgent health problems.”