Non-emergency 111 putting 'lives as risk' as calls are ignored and systems crash - "teething proble - Polidicks

[B]The organisation representing British doctors has written to NHS bosses to call for a delay in the launch of a new non-emergency telephone advice line.[/B] [IMG]http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/Emergencyandurgentcareservices/PublishingImages/NHS-111-LOGO-FINAL-CMYK-BLK_250x400.jpg[/IMG] [URL]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21963297[/URL] [URL]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2300613/New-NHS-111-helpline-puts-patient-safety-risk-doctors-warn.html[/URL]

Never stopped to think that there was another phone number for emergency services in Britain. Good to know.

It shouldn't be left up to the caller to know whether their situation is an emergency, that's silly. Allocate more 999 operators and let them evaluate the situation using their training instead.

couldn't they have just added the 111 workers to the 999 facilities and tadaa...All they did was add a whole different program.

[QUOTE=Pantz76;40073389]Never stopped to think that there was another phone number for emergency services in Britain. Good to know.[/QUOTE] Its new as of today. [editline]28th March 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=sambooo;40073673]It shouldn't be left up to the caller to know whether their situation is an emergency, that's silly. Allocate more 999 operators and let them evaluate the situation using their training instead.[/QUOTE] This in my mind would be a better solution, the 999 operators should be able to triage (I think that word fits here) the calls and if they are not emergent they should be transferred to the people who handle these 111 calls.

[QUOTE=sambooo;40073673]It shouldn't be left up to the caller to know whether their situation is an emergency, that's silly. Allocate more 999 operators and let them evaluate the situation using their training instead.[/QUOTE] 999 operators need a lot more training, 111 is replacing NHS Direct and all they seem to do is read from the NHS website so they're a lot cheaper to train and employee

Why are they replacing NHS Direct with this? What was wrong with the old system? It seemed to be working out really well.

[QUOTE=sambooo;40073673]It shouldn't be left up to the caller to know whether their situation is an emergency, that's silly. Allocate more 999 operators and let them evaluate the situation using their training instead.[/QUOTE] yeah but then you get more morons calling up for clearly non-emergency reasons, delaying the response time for legitimate emergencies better to keep both numbers and have 999 and 111 able to direct calls to one another if deemed appropriate.

[QUOTE=Wiggles;40073732]Why are they replacing NHS Direct with this? What was wrong with the old system? It seemed to be working out really well.[/QUOTE] Because NHS direct is quite a bad system? From what I can work out they read the NHS website to you and then at the first hint of something not being on their script they suggest you get yourself to A&E fast.

They should have flow charts to assess your situation and decide which number to call

There are stories of ambulances being called out to people with sore throats while people with broken legs have to wait Not the best of starts

wait, seriously? I'm not sure people understand the term 'non-emergency', if life is on the line call the emergency one you dipwags there was a thread with misleading info a while back about Chicago making a similar stand about calling 911 or non-emergency numbers, all of the alarmist news sites made it out like the police were just turning away calls because they didn't like them. [QUOTE=sambooo;40073673]It shouldn't be left up to the caller to know whether their situation is an emergency, that's silly. Allocate more 999 operators and let them evaluate the situation using their training instead.[/QUOTE] it's pretty easy to know when you're in an emergency, and when you just have to report something. This is the problem, they already have non-emergency numbers at stations, but it isn't a convenient easy number. If people know they can dial an easy number when they, say, have to report a burglary when the perp is gone by the time you got home, vandalism, minor car incidents where you need to file a report or get a tow truck, call non-emergency and help keep the lines clean. If you're not sure it's an emergency, just call emergency and explain, they'll redirect you anyways, and they'll still not be as strained as they are now. [QUOTE=Arsonist;40073779]There are stories of ambulances being called out to people with sore throats while people with broken legs have to wait Not the best of starts[/QUOTE] to be honest sore throat guy probably thought it was an emergency and called asking for immediate help (I don't really believe the story though). Still, if we can reduce calls going to emergency services (which would be more likely to send nearby emergency responders), obviously this helps keep them available for larger problems. That was the issue in Chicago, police tied up with writing up paperwork on the field for petty things that could have easily waited for a secondary responder, when something important hits.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab8GtuPdrUQ[/media] They should just use this number, nice and easy to remember

[QUOTE=Trumple;40074181][media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab8GtuPdrUQ[/media] They should just use this number, nice and easy to remember[/QUOTE] Thing is, since I first saw that episode when it broadcast, I've always remembered that number because of the tune.

I remember watching a report on BBC South Today about the planned 111 rollout a week or so ago, they were talking to an ambulance technican that said they had seen like a 150% increase in calls because 111 was suggesting 999 calls for things like back pain and stomach ache that lasted more than 2 weeks :v: I'll see if I can find it

Problems like this is why around me 911 is the ONLY thing to call. Cat stuck in tree? 911 Shot? 911 Fallen and cant get up? 911 Car accident? 911 Have a question? 911 UFO spotting? 911. Literally. They have to dispatch everything.

[QUOTE=areolop;40074445]Problems like this is why around me 911 is the ONLY thing to call. Cat stuck in tree? 911 Shot? 911 Fallen and cant get up? 911 Car accident? 911 Have a question? 911 UFO spotting? 911. Literally. They have to dispatch everything.[/QUOTE] 111 is supposed to be for: I have a medical problem, is it an emergency? Like a triage service. The only problem is that it, and NHS Direct before it, is crap.

[QUOTE=areolop;40074445]Problems like this is why around me 911 is the ONLY thing to call. Cat stuck in tree? 911 Shot? 911 Fallen and cant get up? 911 Car accident? 911 Have a question? 911 UFO spotting? 911. Literally. They have to dispatch everything.[/QUOTE] Yeah but having a cat stuck in a tree as the same severity as a house fire is retarded

[QUOTE=Kondor58;40075306]Yeah but having a cat stuck in a tree as the same severity as a house fire is retarded[/QUOTE] If it comes down to not being able to answer every call right away, then the problem is not having enough operators.

[QUOTE=Kondor58;40075306]Yeah but having a cat stuck in a tree as the same severity as a house fire is retarded[/QUOTE] The calls get prioritized. A cat stuck in a tree might take 2 hours to air

[QUOTE=areolop;40074445]Problems like this is why around me 911 is the ONLY thing to call. Cat stuck in tree? 911 Shot? 911 Fallen and cant get up? 911 Car accident? 911 Have a question? 911 UFO spotting? 911. Literally. They have to dispatch everything.[/QUOTE] Well here's how it works here: Medical question? 111 Medical problem that can wait? See your GP Medical problem that's worrying you and can't wait? Walk in centre Major medical problem that can't wait? A&E About to die? 999 It's against the law to call 999 for anything other than an emergency

i wish the US had a number like 911 but for non-emergency. like if you want to call the cops on your neighbor but don't want to look up the local police's phone number.

My mum works for the 111 service, talk about badly fucking organised, she has to do double the amount of hours because they have hardly any staff, the managers are shit and don't have a clue what they're doing, i was going for a job there but i withdrew my application because it's just utter shambles, they have like 15 staff callers when they actually need like 30-40+ then again you get people ringing over the daftest of things, someone rang the other day enquiring if leaving the gas on will hurt her dog...seriously.

111 should only be there for crime related issues.

[QUOTE=PvtCupcakes;40085702]i wish the US had a number like 911 but for non-emergency. like if you want to call the cops on your neighbor but don't want to look up the local police's phone number.[/QUOTE] It does, 311. Unless you meant one which applies to the entire country. Although, to be honest, how hard is it to Google "[city] police phone number". Heck, for my city just typing in "[city] police" brought up the phone number.

[QUOTE=Lethaxx;40086067]111 should only be there for crime related issues.[/QUOTE] That's 101 [url]http://www.police.uk/101[/url]

[QUOTE=PvtCupcakes;40085702]i wish the US had a number like 911 but for non-emergency. like if you want to call the cops on your neighbor but don't want to look up the local police's phone number.[/QUOTE] We have a number for that here, I can't remember what it is but it connects you to your local police department no matter where you are. It seems to be a very good idea, especially if you need the police in a non urgent way in a place where you have no idea what the local police station phone number is.