Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps his Department has taken to help ensure NHS 111 has the capacity to (a) handle increased calls and (b) reduce phone waiting times during the covid-19 outbreak.
Around 1,000 additional call handlers have already been trained.
The National Health Service has been clear that investment will increase if demand continues to rise advising that people should only call 111 if they cannot get help online. The new NHS 111 online service provides people with the right advice which frees up clinical call handlers time so that they are able to prioritise those experiencing symptoms.