111 madness ?

I have just seen an ambulance arrive and wondered (nosey I know) what was happening, they were here for about 10 minutes and left grumbling to themselves. Looked like they were a bit cross.

My neighbour next door but one was closing the communal doors so I just asked if she knew what was going on and it transpired her mother had a bad sore throat and was finding it painful to swallow, they rang their GP and was given an appointment in 4 weeks time, so she rang 111 just to get some advice how she could help her today. Answered loads of questions and was told she should go to A&E but she said she didn't think that was necessary and the call ended. Apparently the ambulance was dispatched because sheils had refused to take her mother to A&E and when they arrived and found a woman with a sore throat they were a bit miffed, they dissolved a paracetamol in water and said sip this because that was all the GP or A&E would suggest anyway.

We are told NHS is crumbling and A&E is failing because we are going there for inappropriate things but is 111 making this situation worse ?

Have to say my personal experience with them has been OK but then I have only rung with emergencies which have eventually needed an ambulance or A&E.

Re: 111 madness ?

Beggars belief, Julie! Do you not have any walk in centres nearby? I used one last year after a nasty bite became infected.

Re: 111 madness ?

Yes it's not open long hours but we have used it several times, Grace needs help sometimes with her bleeding problem and they have without fail been very helpful when she has had a fall or cut, they also glued my husband together when he had an accident with a Stanley knife - only him we always mutter when he has a DIY nasty.
I would have thought with 111 that would be where they would suggest this lady went stunned me and them a sore throat would prompt an ambulance to attend.

Re: 111 madness ?

Unbelievable really, maybe they've not heard of the walk in centre - Your husband is not alone! I sliced my finger when pruning my climbing rose, very painful, I was 'glued together again, too.

As you say, though, no wonder the NHS is in the state it is..

Re: 111 madness ?

A quick observation here.

If the GP didn't deem the situation to be urgent, giving an appt 4 weeks away, didn't the neighbour pass on this info to 111, so they could take that into account? A ambulance for a sore throat? My mum had problems with swallowing and her GP was about to refer her just before she collapsed on the ship. Certainly a trip to hospital for it wasn't considered!

It wasn't the family's fault that an ambulance was sent out, but if the woman refused to visit A&E anyway, then no emergency.

My thoughts anyway.

In the meantime, someone with more urgent treatment would have been left waiting...

Re: 111 madness ?

Round here no one can get a GP appointment in less than 4 weeks, so no one really sees that as a sign anything isn't urgent.

If your appointment isn't urgent the wait is 6 weeks or more.

Re: 111 madness ?

My local walk-in centre, (which is about 18 miles away), is only open Mon-Frid, so we mustn't be ill over a weekend!

Re: 111 madness ?

Ahh, but we've always known that, Mups!

Re: 111 madness ?

Out of hours services do exist.

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNH...-services.aspx

Re: 111 madness ?

Indeed they do we usually get a foreign doctor who not only can't find the us but can't find the local surgery either, if lucky they will find the local hospital and can be met there but don't hold your breath they may still have problems finding that.