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Covid

NHS 111 has a happy customer.

4 replies

2bazookas · 31/10/2020 14:08

Today for the first time ever, I had to call NHS 111; and would just like to say how surprised, impressed and grateful I am with the excellent service.

It;s Saturday, woke up to painful recurrence of old problem. I ring GP. closed for weekend. Ring local pharmacy who have a good out of hours treatment service for UTI but it's restricted to under 65s; I'm too old. She says " You'll need a doctors prescription. Ring 111 and ask them for one."

111 keeps me hanging on the line for 15 minutes . Every five minutes a recording says " We know you've been waiting 5/10/15 minutes, but don't hang up." Then someone picks up and from then on, it's all plain sailing; kind and efficient call handler takes my ID details and symptoms asks questions then says " Hold the line for a few minutes; I'm going to do some record checking, don't go away. If we get cut off, I'll ring you back at home." A few minutes later she comes back and says " I'm going to take you into a consult with a nurse; I'll be there and you'll hear me passing on your symptoms. " On a 3-way call, I meet the nurse who asks further questions and says "Right, you do need treatment right away with antibiotics, but they have to be prescribed by a Dr . I'm going to arrange that. An out-of-hours Dr will call you at home . Call us back if there are any problems." They both wish me well., end of call.

An hour later I get a call from the local hospital. Its an out of hours Dr, who asks a few questions then says she will prescribe as requested and medication will be waiting at reception in 5 minutes.. By then I'm staying close to loo. DH drives 5 miles to hospital and its waiting with my name on.

Under 3 hours from first call to starting treatment. Pretty good!

OP posts:
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christianitymaybe · 31/10/2020 14:16

That's great. I contacted my GP earlier on in the week for a medical issue, less than two hours later I had had a phone call and a prescription issued. I am so grateful for our NHS.

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ScrapThatThen · 31/10/2020 14:19

They were great when I took dd to the pharmacy with ear pain. Boots said I needed to call them, which I did from the car park, and before I got home they rang me back with an appointment for 15 minutes time locally. Doctor prescribed and she got better. Very slick.

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Rabbitholebonkers · 31/10/2020 14:20

My son had a routine outpatient appointment this morning. What usually takes three hours was done and dusted within 30 minutes.

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Orangeblossom7777 · 31/10/2020 14:22

We have had a good experience with telephone consultation with GP. Rang back promptly, did a prescription which was emailed straight to the pharmacy and ready within half an hour. Needed urgently so that was good.

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