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NHS 111 Statistics – June 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 987,107 calls offered to the NHS 111 service in England in June 2015. This was an average of 32,904 per day; the lowest average since October 2014, although it was very similar to 32,793 per day in June 2014.

Of calls offered to NHS 111 in June 2015, the proportion abandoned after waiting longer than 30 seconds was 1.3%, also the lowest since October 2014.

Of calls answered by NHS 111 in June 2015, 94.4% were answered within 60 seconds, the highest proportion since October 2014.

Of calls answered, 12% were offered a call back in June 2015. Before February 2015, this proportion was always less than 12%.

Of those offered a call back, 41% were called back within 10 minutes, the lowest proportion since September 2013.

Of calls answered, 23% were transferred to a clinical advisor, the highest proportion since September 2013.

The mean average episode length of a call in June 2015 was 15 minutes 12 seconds, similar to 15 minutes 8 seconds in May 2015.

Of calls answered, 87% received triage in June 2015. This proportion was also 85%, 86% or 87% in the previous 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 June 2015, 11% had ambulances dispatched, 9% were recommended to A&E, 61% were recommended to primary care, 4% were recommended to another service, and 16% were not recommended to any service. These proportions were all the same as, or one percentage point different to, the respective averages for the previous twelve months.

Of calls offered to NHS 111, the proportion where 111 was dialled directly was 97% in every month from January to June 2015.

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