NHS: 111 Service Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department of Health and Social Care
Baroness Humphreys
Main Page: Baroness Humphreys (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Baroness Humphreys's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
(8 years, 9 months ago)
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Lord Prior of Brampton
My Lords, the noble Lord will be aware of the very severe problems at South East Coast Ambulance Service. The chairman has resigned. The chief executive is, I think, on gardening leave at the moment. NHS Improvement is very clear that it needs to sort out the management structure in that ambulance service.
Baroness Humphreys (LD)
Will the Minister explain how the 111 service will be improved to ensure that ambulances for life-threatening conditions arrive in a timely fashion and are not delayed or cancelled by 111 call handlers?
Lord Prior of Brampton
My Lords, the 999 service runs in parallel with the 111 service. If you have an emergency, you should ring 999; if you have an urgent request you should ring 111 and a decision will be made then on whether to call an ambulance. Interestingly, of the 27% of people who ring 111 who would otherwise have gone to A&E, only 8% are actually referred to A&E.