Our NHS 111 service is available 24 hours a day by dialling 111 or by going to 111.nhs.uk.

NHS 111 is a free health care assessment service for when you need medical help or advice fast – but it’s not an emergency.

We recently held some community listening events and we heard feedback that there is still a lot unknown about the service. So, we have put together an A-Z guide about what NHS 111 can help you with.

A – Assessment service. NHS 111 is an assessment and referral service. It will evaluate your symptoms (which involves asking certain questions for every patient) before providing the right advice, guidance, or referral onto another health or care service.   We don’t have access to your full medical record so might ask questions about any existing health conditions we might need to know about.

B – Busy. We handle around 1.7 million NHS 111 calls every year. To help keep our lines free for those who need us, please use 111.nhs.uk – it is the same system and asks the same questions as one of our call handlers would. If the patient is aged five and under, always call 111.

C – Call handlers and clinicians. We have trained call handlers who manage a variety of calls and complete assessments over the telephone. These are supported by senior clinical advisors who are usually trained nurses or paramedics. They work together to provide advice or direct you to the right care.

D – Difficulty hearing? You can call 18001 111 on a text phone. Alternatively, search ‘NHS 111 British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter service’ online if you’re Deaf and want to use the phone service. We also have a large print guide, easy read guide, and audio guide on our website: nwas.nhs.uk.

E – Emergency prescription. If you get your medicine with a repeat prescription, always order and collect these ahead of time using the NHS app or through your GP surgery, allowing extra time for weekends and bank holidays. If you do run out unexpectedly, we are able to help. We’ll ask you questions, and we may refer you to a pharmacy to provide you with enough medication to last until the GP surgery re-opens.

F – Feedback. Feedback is key to improving our services. We host community listening events annually in each county to talk to the public about our services, including NHS 111. If you are interested in attending email: [email protected]. We also ask a selection of patients to provide feedback after using NHS 111 by completing a survey. This helps us to keep on improving.

G – Guide. We want to guide you in the right direction to get help for your needs when using NHS 111. A better understanding of what NHS 111 can help you with will provide you with a good experience when using the service.

H – Helping you. Patient care and safety is our top priority. We always start the call by ruling out a life-threatening condition and then direct you to the most appropriate healthcare service to suit your needs as quickly as possible. Please bear with us whilst we ask you questions.

I – Important information. You can find out everything you need to know about our NHS 111 service on our website: nwas.nhs.uk.

J – Job. When you join our NHS 111 team, you’re at the heart of something amazing. No matter what part you play, from call handler to senior clinical advisor, you’re making a real difference, every day. We all have one thing in common. We care. Keep an eye out for our current vacancies by visiting: nwas.nhs.uk/careers.

K – Knowledge. We’d like to help everyone who uses NHS 111 but there are some things we’re unable to do. For example, we get asked a lot for sick notes and blood tests, but this is not something NHS 111 can provide or arrange. You need to speak to your GP or healthcare provider.

L – Local. We cover approximately 5,400 square miles – serving more than seven million people across the communities of Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire and Glossop (Derbyshire). We use a Directory of Services which covers the North West meaning that you will always get the best care advice and directed to other services closest to you, wherever you are situated in the North West.

M – Medication enquiries. Our call handlers will need to ask you some questions before they can point you in the right direction for any medication enquiries so, please bear with them.

N – Nurses. Nurses have been part of Team NWAS for many years now. We have nurses working as senior clinical advisors in NHS 111 supporting patients over the telephone to give them the care they need.

O – Online service. 111.nhs.uk is there for when it is not an emergency, but you need urgent healthcare advice. It provides you with the same advice as we would give you on the telephone and if needs be, you will be called back by a clinician. If you are seeking help for a child aged five and under, always call 111.

P – Paramedics. We have paramedics working in our NHS 111 service too! Just like our nurses, they use their expert knowledge to help you over the phone if you need a call back from one of our senior clinical advisors.

Q – Questions. These are an essential part of using NHS 111. We will ask you several questions about your symptoms if you call, this is so we can determine the right care advice for you.

R – Referrals. After an assessment, we can signpost you to get help or make an urgent referral for you if we think it is appropriate. We are unable to chase referrals that have been made by your GP or other healthcare provider.

S – Signposting. We will signpost you to the most appropriate care for your condition, which could be safe selfcare at home, your GP, and out of hours doctor, community nurse, local pharmacy or walk-in centre. 

T – Transport. We get calls from patients wanting us to arrange transport to and from healthcare appointments. This needs to be done via our patient transport service (PTS) and not NHS 111. Making a booking with our PTS is simple, free and easy and can usually be done through our booking centre number: 0800 032 3240.

U – Unwell. If you are feeling unwell and not sure what to do, 111.nhs.uk has the support and advice you need.

V – Values. Our values underpin everything we do in NHS 111 and across our services. We work together, we make sure we are at our best and we make a difference to the lives of our patients.

W – Wait times. If you call and there is a wait for us to answer, we will provide you with approximate wait times. If you call from a mobile telephone, you’ll have the opportunity to start providing your information via an online form, which can help to save time.

X – X-rays. We cannot book you in for an x-ray, but we can refer you to a service that provides x-rays if it’s appropriate.

Y – Your NHS 111 service. This service exists for you, and when asked last year, 94% of patients said they were likely to recommend the NHS 111 service to friends or family if they needed similar advice or help.

Z – Zest. We have a zest for exceptional patient care. We have a Patient and Public Panel which is made up of local community members who volunteer to get involved and help shape our services, including NHS 111. If you would like to join visit; nwas.nhs.uk.