Experiences and opinions of NHS 111 First in Northamptonshire
The Northamptonshire CCG asked us to find out what people thought of NHS 111 First and to gather the experiences of those who had used it since it began in December 2020.
The survey responses provided us with valuable positive feedback, as well as highlighting some issues that need to be addressed.
Three-quarters of people thought that contacting NHS 111 First to book a time slot at A&E (Accident and Emergency) before attending was a good way of accessing urgent healthcare services. Over three-quarters of all survey respondents said they were likely to call NHS 111 next time they had an urgent medical problem. However, some of those who had used the new system did not feel that the waiting time was reduced, highlighting a need to clarify what people could expect from this aspect of the service.
Survey respondents with a hearing impairment or hearing loss also highlighted the difficulties they faced accessing a telephone-based service.
“We acknowledge the comments made within the feedback and through the 111 First / streaming group we will seek to address the comments and recommendations made particularly in reference to how we communicate and set expectations. This will help us to refresh our communication plan but also inform the priorities as we roll out the streaming and re-direction tool.”
