A new public survey has been launched to try to find out more about local people’s experiences using the NHS 111 service in the region.
111 is the NHS non-emergency number. When you call 111 you speak to a highly trained telephone adviser, supported by healthcare professionals (nurses or paramedics). They ask you a series of questions to assess your symptoms which allows them to direct you to the best medical care for your needs. NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with calls free from landlines and mobile phones.
Devon Doctors is the lead provider for urgent care in the region, offering 24/7 access to urgent care services including NHS 111 and out of Out of Hours services in the South West.
Healthwatch, the local consumer champion for Health and Social Care services, are independently collating public feedback from anyone who has recently used the NHS 111 service in the Devon, Plymouth, Torbay, and Somerset area.
Local Healthwatch in Devon, Plymouth, Torbay and Somerset have joined forces to launch a regional survey to ensure that the very people using the NHS 111 service get to have their say on the way it is delivered to them. All responses will be anonymous, and the information provided will be used to inform the joint Healthwatch report which will be shared with NHS 111 and the Health and Social Care Regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The online survey can be found at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/NHS111HW .
Members of the public can also speak to Healthwatch directly to share their experience of NHS 111, or receive support completing the survey by contacting Freephone 0800 052 0029, Monday to Thursday, 10am to 3pm. The survey and public engagement is anticipated to run right through to the 20th November 2020.
Pat Harris, Strategic Lead for Healthwatch in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, said: “With essential services facing unprecedented challenges, it is really important that we as the consumer champion for health and social care services continue to listen to the community and share feedback with our stakeholders and key decision-makers on what is working well or not so well and what may need addressing.
Your feedback will be used to shape and improve the local NHS 111 service and really could make a difference, so please share your experience using it with us by filling out our online survey, available on all our local Healthwatch websites.”
“Devon Doctors is committed to Putting Patients First,” said Dr Justin Geddes, CEO of the not-for-profit social enterprise. “With that in mind, we’re delighted that Healthwatch is offering service users across Devon and Somerset the opportunity to have their say and will use the ensuing report to shape and improve our NHS 111 services.”
A CQC representative commented: “Local Healthwatch in Devon, Plymouth, Torbay and Somerset are working in partnership with CQC to invite members of the public and tell us what they think of the services provided by Devon Doctors. Their views and experiences will help CQC inspectors decide what to look at when they inspect the services provided by the service in the future.
“People are being encouraged to tell team about their experiences of services provided by Devon Doctors from the past year and to say where they would like to see improvements made in the future.”
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