NWAS reflects on NHS 111 take over

NWAS reflects after providing NHS 111 over the winter period

The North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust (NWAS) took over the running of NHS 111 on 29 October 2013, just as the busy winter period was approaching. Three months on, the Trust says the service is "running smoothly and continuing to improve." 

For the NWAS’ 111 team, the planning phase was much shorter than the Trust would have liked, however, the organisation was well prepared.

The most challenging aspect of providing the service was the festive period. NWAS 111 call takers dealt with approximately 3,000 calls each day, and from 1 December 2013 to 1 January 2014, NWAS handled a 114,434 NHS 111 calls.

Ian Moses, NWAS Head of Service Delivery said: “The run up to the festive season is always a very busy time for the Trust and this year was no exception. I would like to thank all NHS 111 staff who joined the NWAS team for their hard work and commitment to improving and delivering a reliable, quality service in the North West.

“When people reach out for help, the 111 team are there to assist them. Our staff really do care about patients and want to do a great job. 

"NHS 111 is now a stable and an improving service, with high levels of public satisfaction. Currently all performance standards are being achieved. The Trust is committed to ensuring service users have the best possible experience and we are confident it will continue to improve."