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NHS 111 Statistics – May 2015

The latest NHS 111 Minimum Data Set spreadsheets and text files, Statistical Notes for 2015-16, and a link to background information, are at NHS 111 Minimum Data Set 2015-16.

There were 1,184,177 calls offered to the NHS 111 service in May 2015, which was an average of 38,200 per day, the second largest average since 111 began. (The largest was 45,100 per day in December 2014.)
Of calls answered by NHS 111 in England in May 2015, 93.6% were answered within 60 seconds, less than 93.9% in April 2015, but more than the five months before that.

In May 2015, the proportion of calls abandoned after waiting longer than 30 seconds was 1.5%, similar to the rest of 2015.

Of all calls answered, 11.7% were offered a call back in May 2015, a little less than the peak of 12.5% in March 2015. Of those offered a call back, 45% were called back within 10 minutes, less than in April 2015 (48%) and the average for 2014-15 (50%).

The mean average episode length of a call in May 2015 was 15 minutes 8 seconds, slightly longer than 14 minutes 59 seconds in April 2015.

Of calls answered, 86% received triage in May 2015. This proportion has been 85%, 86% or 87% for the latest twelve months. Calls triaged are those where the NHS 111 call handler opens and uses the clinical assessment tool (NHS Pathways). Calls not triaged include, for example, follow-ups of previous calls, or calls where the caller is unable or unwilling to give specific details about the patient’s condition, such as enquiries about contact details for pharmacists or other local care services.

Of calls triaged in May 2015, 10% had ambulances dispatched, 8% were recommended to A&E, 63% were recommended to primary care, 4% were recommended to another service, and 15% were not recommended to any service. These proportions were the same as in April 2015.

Of calls offered to NHS 111, the proportion where 111 were dialled directly has increased in the last five months and is now the highest since 111 began at 97.1%.

Of survey respondents from October 2014 to March 2015 inclusive that expressed a view, 89.4% were very or fairly satisfied. This proportion was 89.8% for the previous six months and also for the six months before that.

If 111 had not been available, 17% of October 2014 to March 2015 respondents would have contacted the 999 ambulance service. This was unchanged from the previous six months. The proportion who would have contacted A&E reduced to 27% from 29%, while the proportion who would have not used any service increased from 7% to 10%.

Survey data for October 2014 to March 2015 inclusive have been published. Survey data items between 7.18 and 7.41 have been revised for April to September 2014, for Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, and Leicester & Rutland.

Background information for the statistics is on the NHS 111 Minimum Data Set landing page.