Praise for non-emergency medical service.
West Midlands Ambulance Service is celebrating 12-months of running the NHS111 (West Midlands) service today and is doing so in fine style after receiving some excellent patient feedback.
The figures from patient surveys make for impressive reading with 91.3% saying they were satisfied with the service received, 77.1% of which were very satisfied. Just 3.4% claimed to be dissatisfied.
Additionally, 88.8% said they were likely to recommend the service, 67.7 per cent of which were extremely likely. 1.9% said they were unlikely to recommend the service.
Since stepping in to replace NHS Direct on November 11, 2013, West Midlands Ambulance Service has put a lot of hard work into initially stabilising, and then enhancing the service, and the results suggest that patients are feeling the benefits.
During the previous 12 months, WMAS has received in the region of 850,000 calls into the service, with volumes continuing to gradually increase. Staffing levels have been increased and training extended, all of which has helped to ensure that performance levels and the quality provided for patients accessing the service, have remained impressively high.
Daren Fradgley, NHS 111 (West Midlands) Director, said: “A considerable amount of work has gone into stabilising and developing the service over the last 12 months. There is no doubt that the public of the West Midlands now have access to one of the best quality and performing NHS111 services in the country. This is also clear to see in the feedback we are getting from the patients.
“I would also like to thank the entire team whose work has not only made this possible but also had such a positive impact on the public we serve. We are proud of what we achieved during the last year but we will not be resting on our laurels. We will continue to improve the service we offer to ensure it is the best it possibly can be, and patients continue to receive the highest possible level of care.”
Rachael Ellis, 111 Lead Commissioner West Midlands, said: “Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group is pleased to report that the service is stable and that call volumes are increasing as patients realise the benefits of the service which delivers quick, responsive advice and assistance.
“We are seeing month on month growth in the service and see it as a core part of the NHS for patients over the winter period.”
NHS 111 is a free service, available 24-hours-a-day and designed to offer medical help fast when the situation is not a 999 emergency.
