111 should be SHUT DOWN

[MrsMaisel]

Much as I hate to link the daily mail - here’s a horrifying look at the ‘training’ call handlers receive
never use 111

Can't say I'm surprised. Never had a good experience with 111. After a family member had an operation, they began to suffer some symptoms which we were later told could be related to dvt. Called 111 described a pain between their shoulder blades and I was told there was no such bone and I obviously meant the shoulder. I reiterated that the pain was indeed between the shoulder blades and was told I was wrong, the pain was on the shoulder. I gave up and took them to a&e where they confirmed that my relatives pain was indeed between the shoulder blades and proceeded to check for dvt. Thankfully it wasn't, but I dread to think what could have happened if I had accepted what 111 told me.

'Badly trained idiots' just about sums up my experience with 111. I don't bother now and we are fortunate enough to have an urgent care centre for any out of hours stuff looking at you DS2

I've never bothered with it. Sounds like a complete waste of time. Either I go to the GP, or if I can't get an appointment I go to A&E.

I’ve never used it and yesterday a pharmacist told me I should call them to get dd’s Epipen prescription changed to Jext so she could fill the prescription and I’d forgotten it even existed. I’ve never heard anyone who has had a good experience with them.

That’s 1 centre. I can vouch for at least 3 others that are nothing like that. Though I’ll agree there are issues with the service but it’s mainly around funding.

They now link up calls don't they from the same person? A young woman died after repeatedly ringing over a few weeks with sever diarrhoea. Each time the system treated her like it was the first time she had called.

I phoned them when having a panic attack due to anxiety and they told me I was having a heart attack. That really helped my anxiety.

Of all the things to do - why would they do eye brow threading - completely bizarre!

That’s England. The 111 service in Scotland is far better. Maybe if the general public stopped abusing the NHS system and using things like A&E for ridiculous things then you wouldn’t need the 111 service.

When I had a miscarriage and called for advice on whether I needed to go to hospital or could stay at home (midwife unit was shut apart from emergencies and it didn’t feel like an emergency) they tried to tell me it was my period and kept saying “calm down” as though I was hysterical and had never had a period before. I was perfectly calm. They completely ignored the fact I told them repeatedly that I was pregnant and knew I was miscarrying and was worried about the amount of blood I was losing.
“Sometimes you can have random heavy periods”
Wtf. I went to a&e in the end they were much more helpful.

My one year old fell down the stairs ( who knew he could unlock the stair gate ?!) We had not been in the area long and due to being panicky I was unsure of the name of the dr surgery I'd just joined. The operator spent about 5 mins arguing with me if the name had one or two 'M' in it. I totally lost it with them! Ridiculous!

@AuchAyeTheNo the problem is it was put in place for things that dont feel important enough for a&e but they are so unhelpful that MORE people probably end up going to a&e anyway so defeats the object.
I agree a lot of people are time wasters but there are also a lot of people who are trying to get genuine help without wasting anyone’s time. 111 does not fulfil that need because it’s bloody useless (in the UK at least).

I took him to a&e he was fine !

111 in Wales is great 🤷‍♀️

111 saved my life. I had a miscarriage 3 months after giving birth (didn’t know I was pregnant as was on the pill, had even had the week break and a bleed the week before), was bleeding steadily over 4 hours very late at night with no pain at all. They asked me to call every hour to be reassessed, or sooner if I felt things got worse. The third time of calling they said that it didn’t sound normal, and they sent an ambulance.
The paramedics were lovely. Asked if there was any chance I was pregnant to which I said no, just had period. They took me up the hospital.
I was lay in bed waiting for the doctor, and went to the toilet. Passed out in the toilet, woke up to nurses everywhere with wires and tubes everywhere, and I was having a blood transfusion. They said I lost a lot of bleed just in the toilet let alone before hand.

If it wasn’t for 111 wanting to keep in contact and sending the ambulance I don’t know I’d be here now.

My mum rang them with severe chest pain (I know, I know). They made her go through loads of questions which took about 15 mins. Eventually agreed to send an ambulance

111 have been great for us. With 4 young DCs and alone a lot, if we had an out of hours illness my options would otherwise be managing alone or dragging multiple children into a&e (or trying to palm them all off on neighbours in a hurry). The call handlers aren't usually amazing, but putting you through to a gp or ambulance is very helpful.

I called 111 other night and they were helpful. This was Wales though. First time I'd called and the lady was really thorough and got us the correct help.

I've phoned them a few times and thought they were basically useless

I found it fine but I used it knowing what I needed - an out of hours gp appointment and by calling you don't wait as long at the walk in centre. It's helpful for some people, but it's not a substitute for using your own common sense or booking a gp appointment even if you need to take a half day off work

Although one time they had a doctor phone me back who actually was helpful

They just seem to ask a load of irrelevant questions and then tell you to see a doctor!

I've used them I this area, they were very good, sent an ambulance out promptly.

Yes load of rubbish, I called 111 when I thought I was having a miscarriage in the middle of the night my husband wasn’t home and had my two year old in bed, I rang because I didn’t know what to do, the doctor who rang me back after just said ‘well what do you want me to do?’ I was so upset and scared so I just said ‘advice’ but now when I think of that bloody doctor I just think how unkind and unsympathetic he was.

111 have always been professional and helpful with me. They've booked me out of hours drs appointments, arranged call backs by a nurses and given me good advice.

I think they're just call handlers really, they direct you to the right place not much else.

@fizzysci I'm sorry you had a bad experience but it's probably better safe than sorry right? A lot of symptoms of panic attacks are the same as a heart attack.

My mum rang them with severe chest pain (I know, I know). They made her go through loads of questions which took about 15 mins. Eventually agreed to send an ambulance

111 isn't for sever chest pain. In fact it even tells you on the recorded message at the start of you have it to hang up and call 999. Hardly the fault of 111 that your mum chose their path to follow.