GPs, paramedics, nurses, mental health professionals, dental nurses and pharmacists are all part of the new NHS 111 clinical assessment service, which launched on Thursday the 1st of October 2020.
People who call 111 - free from mobiles or landlines 24/7 - or access the service via www.111.nhs.uk will speak to call handlers and/or healthcare professionals who will be able to assess symptoms over the phone, issue prescriptions and directly book people into onward care appointments if they need one.
The new clinical assessment service is a result of a new contract for NHS 111 in Kent, Medway and Sussex. The new five-year contract was awarded to South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) as the lead provider, and they are working in conjunction with not-for-profit social enterprise Integrated Care 24 (IC24). SECAmb and IC24 already provided NHS111 to parts of the south east separately but will now work together to deliver a more joined-up service.
It is one of a number of improvements that Kent and Medway’s residents will experience if they use NHS 111 over the coming months.
If work goes to plan, by the end of the year, the service will also be able to book patients into a timeslot at an emergency department or urgent care service through NHS 111 First, if this is deemed the most appropriate service to help and support them.
There’s more information on the launch of the enhanced 111 clinical assessment service available on NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group’s website
NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group
