NHS 111 calls in Yorkshire decrease as pressure eases on health service
Fewer calls were made to the NHS 111 service in Yorkshire and the Humber last month, new figures show.
Though the volume of calls across England remains higher than usual, think tank the Nuffield Trust said the data suggests pressure on the NHS is easing following the first wave of the coronavirus crisis.
This was a slight decrease on the calls received in April, but still 8% more than in May 2019.
The proportion of calls answered within 60 seconds meanwhile rose from 55% to 81% between April and May.
Calls to helplines across England dropped slightly to 1.6 million in May, compared to 1.7 million in April, but demand was 12% higher than in the same month last year.
Sarah Scobie, the Nuffield Trust’s deputy director of research, said the value of digital services such as NHS 111 had become clear during the Covid-19 pandemic.
She said: “The increase in calls coupled with the dramatic falls in GP appointments and people turning up at accident and emergency units show how important digital services have become to help people access care.
“People are continuing to make careful choices about how they access the NHS. As the NHS looks to resume more services, it will need to continue developing remote services to support traditional face-to-face care where possible.”
New research commissioned by the Health Foundation charity revealed 47% of people said they would feel uncomfortable using their local hospital if they needed to in May, with the majority of them concerned about exposure to coronavirus.
Tim Gardner, senior policy fellow at the charity, said: "The Government and the NHS must work together to ensure people can use health services without putting themselves at increased risk of catching the virus.
“Adequate supplies of PPE, reliable testing, and a track and trace system that is fit for purpose are absolutely vital as the NHS starts to get services back up and running.
“This will be essential in reassuring the public that the NHS is a safe place for them to get the care they need."