Is it acceptable for GP to use 111 number as out of office cover?

[kentishgirl]

Hi

As my title says, really.

My 87 year old dad needed an emergency doctor, their GPs surgery only said to ring 111 and didn't have any direct cover arrangements. Mum rang just past 6pm and a doctor (arranged through 111) eventually came at 2.30am.

The 111 website states that GPs should have cover for emergencies, and that you can also call 111 if it's not an immediate emergency.

Is this acceptable?

I thought that was what 111 was for? 111 is the cover service.

It's to give patients access to GP services when their surgery is closed. So if the surgery closes at 6 and you need same day advice, you call 111. It is for urgent but not 999 emergency care.

Yes, the 111 service is a gateway for out of hours care, info here on the NHS Choices website. The local out of hours service can use 111 as their contact number - here's an example from Northampton.

I don't think the timescale of 8.5 hours for a home visit is unusual, unfortunately.

I thought that was entirely normal these days. You haven't been able to contact anyone at our surgery ooh for about 20 years (give or take!)

I have used the 111 service twice this week (having never used it before!!) and I have found the service to be excellent. I have had to go into our local walk on centre but I had been given appointments within 2 hours of me calling.

Oh OK, from the 111 website I had the impression that GP needed to make provision either directly or through the local Area organisation for emergency out of hours that isn't a 999 job, and that 111 was for non-emergency only. There's a gap between 'must call 999' and 'oh I've got a splinter in my finger and want some advice' (which is more 111) that seems to be not covered very well any more.

Yes unfortunately that the new system and how it now works. Most GP's use 111 now and off yours doesn't yet they most likely will change at.some point. which is one of the reasions why I try and avoid using the out of hours. if it can wait to surgary hours sometimes it's quick to see someone by rringing the doctors direct in the morning. Sometimes you can't wait that long though.

We've had OOH appointments arranged via 111.

This system isn't helping A&E though surely if I had a really sick child there is no.way now I would wait for it off hours under our new system it takes to long even for a ring back. Where the old local system used to be much faster. I'd feel the need to go straight to A&E as the waight would be to long.

The wait was too long - but my parents do tend to minimise everything out of fear, so it may not have been clear that he needed to see someone more quickly (IMO).

When I have phoned 111 for OOH it has put me through by my area. A GP from the local OOH service has then phoned me back and arranged appointment after the initial telephone assessment.

kentish - there must be out of hours provision in your area (responsibility of the local area team) but they can use 111 as the front door to the service. Same as you could use NHS Direct as a front door to the out of hours service in days of yore, or you could phone them direct.

If it's really an emergency though111 will call ambulance, so imo, iit's a way of getting someone to assess him bad ut is and get the appropriate treatment.

If your parentsdownplayed the urgency then they probably wouldn't have been seen any sooner even if they got straight through to the surgery