Tory ‘neglect’ blamed for 3.6m abandoned calls to NHS 111 in England

Patients contacting NHS 111 in England are having to wait so long for medical help that they are abandoning millions of calls, with 3.6m ditched in the past 12 months, official figures reveal.

The national helpline service is supposed to make it quicker and easier for patients to get the right advice or treatment they need, either for their physical or mental health. It is billed as being open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

However, analysis by the House of Commons Library, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, shows callers are waiting so long to speak to someone that nearly one in five give up. In 2022, 3,682,516 calls to NHS 111 were abandoned.

MPs said the “dire” figures exposed how the NHS had reached “breaking point” after years of “neglect and underfunding” by the government.

The data suggests that, on average, more than 10,000 callers hang up every day without receiving medical advice or treatment.

As well as being distressing for those who are unwell, abandoned NHS 111 calls pose a risk to patient safety. The problem also increases pressure on other urgent care services as people seek care elsewhere.

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Source: The Guardian, 10 April 2023