To think 111 service is shocking!

[mkwar]

So on 2 occasions I have had to call 111 my ds is currently 6 weeks old, I called them once when he was three weeks old due to bad symptoms of what we now know was reflux and yesterday as he had been a little under the weather and started to slightly swell on the left side of this face, so naturally I called 111 due to his symptoms not being severe enough to call an ambulance, however if we felt we needed too we would have, we have ended up just taking him to a&e both times. So to get to the point I called them on both occasions and each time they have told me I need to speak to a clinician asap and one will call me straight back each time i have called them has been at night around 9pm and both times they haven't called me back until 3am like for a baby I just find that absolutely shocking I completely understand they are busy and have a lot to deal with, and if that was for myself or my Dh I wouldn't have cared about the long wait but I just believe you can't chance anything with a bubba or a child! I'm so annoyed by it to top it off I was left a shitty voicemail from them complaining I didn't pick up the phone it was 3am and I was already in the hospital with my ds my last thought was checking my phone I had placed it on silent to avoid waking anyone in the ward up and my ds.

Has anyone else has the same issues? X

Just to add context it took a total of 7 hours for them to call us back both occasions after receiving no advice from them x

This is how it is now. The NHS has collapsed courtesy of the Tories

I agree that it’s no service for emergencies. I’ve used it once cos DH cut his finger (but so badly that blood was pouring out). We couldn’t even get through and were on hold for half an hour. During which time he bled through several bandages and was dripping on the floor. So we hung up and went to A and E.

I would never want to go to A and E unnecessarily but 111 kind of gave us no choice! No wonder A and E is so packed! I think if 111 were staffed better then it would relieve A and E. DH was fine in the end albeit has lost sensation in the finger.

Sorry but your baby wasn’t sick enough to get a call back sooner. If it had been they would have done. The 111 service is under extreme pressure, I have always had a good service from them that is appropriate to the severity of my need. It sounds like the issues your baby had could have been treated by a gp or even in a consultation with a pharmacist.

Sorry what's wrong with that?

I see 111 as a gateway to get an appointment at a walk in centre. It’s helped me twice in the last month with my DD who had tonsillitis.

Agree though there are times you just need them seen ASAP and in that case we’ve ended up at A&E instead.

Unfortunately he was, the hospital said different and said they should have called me back as soon as possible x

It used to be NHS Direct and was mostly staffed by a combination of call handlers and nurses. To save money, they got rid of most of the nurses and employed more call handlers. The call handlers read off a script rather than rely on clinical judgement.

Nothing is wrong with it @OP unfortunately some people are just idiots and will criticise words or phrases rather than answer the question or contribute to the thread x

Also - swelling in any young child could be a life threatening allergic reaction so this absolutely should have been dealt with sooner

EVERYONE deserves the best possible service. Unfortunately, the NHS is being driven into the ground.

You know those ads about recognising the signs of a stroke? They tell you to call 999 straight away, every minute is critical...

My brother awoke one morning last June and realised (having seen the ads) he was suffering a stroke. 999 told him it would be "At least TWO hours before one xould reach him. My SiL and their 17 year old daughter got him into the car and took him to A & E, where he was successfully treated (kept in 3 days, discovered he has a heart condition from birth nobody was aware of).

Do not rely on ambulances. Get your baby to hospital immediately if you're concerned.

Exactly my thoughts! That's why we decided to take him anyway, I'm glad we did as it got worse! A baby shouldn't be swelling so it was extremely alarming the hospital said they should have advised us to call an ambulance straight away as swelling can get so much worse so quickly as it was his face and neck could have affected his airways x

Loads of 111 aren't medically trained.. they just type in the symptoms you tell them .. then get advice from " their lists".
You are better phoning out of hours or going to A&E.
By time you have waited for a call back.. you probably would have been seen in A&E.

You mean someone spoke to you without running through 100 irrelevant questions first?

@mkwar

You are talking rubbish.

Agree with this. We were able to get a late (9pm) appointment to minor injuries when my DS had a minor burn on his hand because an appointment was made via 111 call when they otherwise would have closed- saved us going to A&E.

I completely understand why it’s standard procedure to cover their backs and for anyone with no common sense, but I do find all the “is your child breathing? Is your child bleeding excessively?” Etc questions a pain. No! I would have called an ambulance if so!

No I had all the irrelevant questions x

How so? Would you like me provide screenshots of the call log 🤣

Yeah, it takes flipping ages for the doctor or whoever to call you. Most recent one was DH with collapsed lung (he dk it was that but he had broken ribs) he thought heart attack. This was a week after he was kicked out of hospital. He was passed from pilar to post, from 111 to 999, then finally the EMTs turned up. His oxygen was 70% by then. Blue lighted to one hospital, it was the wrong hospital (?)...Yeah NHS is fucked.

Jeez lighten up

Oh wow! I hope he's ok and had a speedy recovery xx