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Care Opinion

Calling 111

Posted By anton

"Calling 111 "

About: DHU Healthcare CIC / NHS 111

(as a service user),

Called 111 at 1945 with mosquito bites from day before. Went to walk in centre in the morning gradually situation got worse during afternoon to the point both my ankles were badly swollen that I couldn't put my body weight on to walk.

A clinician phoned asking me questions, even told him I have bipolar which was getting aggressive by my physical pain. I was not acknowledged of my mental state, all I was offered was an appointment at 2350 at a community hospital 7miles away.

I couldn't get out the door, I had a fever and when I phoned 111 2nd time, the operator said I couldn't have home visit unless I was disabled or bed bound..er excuse me, I told her I couldn't walk by then my mental state of mind was deteriorating and I couldn't get to my appointment at 2350.

On that score I got a phone call fm G. P at 0050, asking me why I missed my appointment and told him why and eventually I had a home visit at 0215. G. P was shocked how bad my bites were and gave me antibiotics.

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Responses

Response from Jenny Welch, Patient Experience Co-ordinator, DHU Healthcare CIC 9 years ago
Jenny Welch
Patient Experience Co-ordinator,
DHU Healthcare CIC

Submitted on 15/12/2014 at 14:43
Published on Care Opinion at 16:53

I was sorry to hear of your concerns regarding access to a home visit when you contacted the NHS 111 and out of hours service. Home visits are a limited resource and are usually only available for the terminally ill, housebound patients and those whose condition may dangerously deteriorate if they were to be moved.

However, we do exercise a degree of flexibility and visit patients when there is no possibility of that patient being able to arrange transport to attend a Primary Care Centre.

We have trialled a Patient Transport Service for eligible patients that do not qualify for a home visit. The service collects patients from their homes and transports them for a face to face appointment at a Primary Care Centre. As home visits are for the assessment of housebound, elderly and end of life patients, these cases take priority, based on clinical need. Therefore it is often quicker for patients that do not meet the criteria for a high priority home visit to be seen in a Primary Care Centre, rather than experience delays in waiting for a home visit when other cases take priority.

During the Patient Transport Service trial we had positive feedback from all patients that used this service from the point of collection to their return home.

We are conducting a full evaluation of this trial and if it is found that the Patient Transport Service was successful we would hope to be able to implement a permanent Patient Transport Service in the New Year.

If you would like to get in touch with the Patient Experience Team we would be happy to look into your case and review the contact that you had with our clinicians, to assess whether the advice and treatment you received was appropriate, given your circumstances. You can contact us on 0300 1000 407 or email us at dhul.clinicalgovernance@nhs.net.

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