NHS 111 not for for purpose

When my mum collapsed (she’s nearly 100) 999 didn’t send an ambulance when a neighbour called. I had to call again 3 hours later! If you are old, forget it!

I never thought I would say this but 111 has been brilliant the last 3 times I've used them for different people. Yes lots of repetition but they sent nurses out within a couple of hours and ambulance took them to hospital. I was so impressed with the new service of coming out to homes rather than having to go to a and e. This is northeast, not sure where you live but seems like this service is going ro be made nationwide. Meanwhile I'm.so sorry for your experiences, awful..xx

Similar happened to me a few years ago - I shared the antibiotics and went to the chemist as I have spilt them everywhere and they replaced them.

Out of hours clinics may well have access to antibiotics. There will be other pharmacies. It’s a massive pain the arse though.
This week is particularly bad due to the time of year and the doctor strike.

Still, it’s a ridiculous situation for you!

We have no out of hours, minor ailments or late-night pharmacy in our whole county which spans 100 miles. 111 is absolutely useless here. I would never waste my time with them.

It’s dangerous. I firmly believe we are not safe and are running a roulette type situation with the nhs. We need more “on the ground” services - more walk ins, pharmacies that can prescribe.

I called 111 three years ago on Christmas Eve because I was in severe pain. A doctor called me back promptly, but advised me to take paracetamol and see my GP after the holiday. We went to A&E, I was admitted and had emergency surgery on Christmas morning and further surgery within the week.

They sent me their customer satisfaction survey and I let rip, I had a lovely letter and phone call and my case is now being used for training purposes. The doctor simply didn't ask me the right questions.

Exactly the same thing has happened to me today. Waste-of-time visit to pharmacy late morning having been told to go there to get antibiotics for my sons tonsilitis. Had to then call 111 again, waiting half an hour who said we would have a call back today. Nothing yet. I have no idea whether to just sit and wait for this call or sit for another hour on the phone to wait for 111 for the third time today. I'm worried about a poorly son and relatives arriving tomorrow. If he's had medicines today it might go more quickly.

To those saying it’s all about money - it’s not. Labour gave gps huge pay rises. Did we get a better service? Of course not. The nhs is a black hole. It absorbs what is given and the public get worse services. It needs a total rethink.

Try UK Meds. Its a private prescription /GP service. You fill in the form and they get back to you if they have questions, or they just write a prescription and send the meds. It costs, but at least it works.

Last time my partner rang 111 for severe back pain (after he had taken his own co-codamol and having no effect) they tried telling him co-codamol didn't have paracetamol in it therefore he should take some paracetamol to ease his pain.

After I took over the call and calmly trying to explain to them he had in fact already taken paracetamol, I was told there's nothing further they could advise because 'he hasn't taken at least two types of pain killers'. It was like speaking to a brick wall

Oh and I totally agree with you about 111. It's a dreadful service.

Really hope you manage to get sorted quickly!

Do you have any walk in centres near you?

I've had good and bad experiences with 111. Same as 999. When my mum died I had to ring the ambulance service. I rang back after an hour for an update and at the end of the call the handler said 'if there's a change in your mother's condition please call back'. Hmm pretty sure dead people will still be dead..

Unfortunately your foot surgeon won't be happy. Postop infections need to be treated under a protocol to avoid deep bone infection, and you should have rung the ward/hospital who would have arranged your surgeon to see you

out of hours services carry emergency stock of drugs to give out when pharmacies are closed .
however unless you live on a tiny island of coast of scotland i very much doubt there wont be a pharmacist open somewhere you can drive to

I think unfortunately what you have to appreciate is how many people 111 have to deal with now. All the advice everywhere is to ring 111 if you need help. Most GP surgeries tell people to call 111 as they have no appointments. There can be as many as 700-800 people sitting in a queue waiting for call backs from clinicians who are only human and can only phone so many people back in a day. There’s no budget left for extra clinicians. The result is a very long wait for people which is not a good experience nor is it helping people get the care they deserve. It either works really well, or it is a disaster.

I also think it’s very easy for people to judge why people are sent to A+E. You try assessing a child over the phone in the middle of the night with breathing problems, that you can’t see and then tell me you wouldn’t have sent them in!

Like any NHS service, 111 has its limits. Blame those in charge of budgets who have underfunded the NHS for decades and who have ended us up in this mess. But it’s ok, we can just build some more house, boost population numbers and then wonder why it’s all gone down the pan.

Sorry OP 111 saved my life in August after I got an infection and I'd been to the GPs twice and the first time they said it was viral and the second time they gave me antibiotics that made me vomit non-stop and didn't touch the infection. The GP who called me from 111 tried to get me to go to a hospital and when it transpired I couldn't actually do that, she sent an ambulance.

It's a much better and more co-ordinated and less onerous service than it was back in 2003 when I first used them and they were terrible. But the phone menus are so bloody repetitive.

Having used it a couple of other times this year for the kids, I think it's hit and miss but they have to follow standard procedures. Their staff training seems so much better now than even a few years ago though.

Just phone the pharmacy you're thinking of going to, ask if this is something they can help with, and if not get back onto 111 (pharmacies are the easiest healthcare service to get through to on the phone usually). Or if the pharmacy is closed now, 111 need to give you the next step.

Yup. I sat in A and E overnight recently and nearly every person that came in (nk privacy!) Said "I called 111 and they said to come."

Complete mess of a system. A and E was beyond broken . But it's all the different parts isn't it? If doctors were functioning and 11q functioning and more hospitals and more doctors and better social care so there wasnt bed blocking... then it would work much better

And yes I remember about 23 years ago calling to "speak to anjurse for advice" about interactions between drugs.

111 are a massive pain in the arse for the emergency ambulance service. They are very risk adverse so refer to the ambulance service for ridiculous reasons ! Also if a clinician doesn’t call you back in a certain time frame an ambulance is automatically dispatched!

I think 50-70% of our calls are urgent care bullshit jobs from 111 and we all despair !

There is always a designation pharmacy open til late- even on bank holidays.

The out of hours service will know which one it is.

We have duty pharmacies here. They open late. Only one in a large area. Another faff. I agree.