Calls to NHS 111 in Suffolk increase by 40 per cent over New Year bank holiday weekend

The group that runs the NHS 111 service in Suffolk said they received more than 6000 calls over the New Year long weekend.

This is a 40 per cent increase on the numbers they saw last year and comes after the service said they are experiencing 'exceptionally high demand' due to pressure on the health service.

As the The Practice Plus Group, which runs 111, prepares for the Royal College of Nursing strike later this month, parents in Suffolk have shared their experiences of using the 111 service in recent months.

Some mums expressed their gratitude for the help they received, where others were frustrated by the wait times - highlighting a mixed picture across the county.

Mum, Kayleigh Banfield, from Stanton called 111 in November and waited 35 minutes to speak to someone about her daughter Reagan, who was then seven-months-old.

Kayleigh was told a nurse would call within an hour, then she was phoned again to be told a doctor would be in touch within an hour.

Two hours later Kayleigh was told to take her baby to hospital within 15 minutes or they would send an ambulance.

She said: "I had been waiting over four hours, so why I head to rush then I don't know."

Eventually Reagan, now nine-months-old, was diagnosed with bronchiolitis - a chest infection that affects babies and children under the age of two.

Tamsin Read a mum from Bury St Edmunds, said: "In November we had to call 111 a couple of times for our five-year-old and four-month old."

She continued: "They were extremely helpful and we only had to hold for five minutes.

"The doctor phoned us back within 20 minutes and got us appointments each time at the out-of-hours doctors, within two hours of first phoning. We have never been able to fault them."

Tamsin's baby daughter Willow was admitted to hospital due to a viral infection and the mum-of-two said this was due to the 'super quick' response from the 111 service.

Stacey Chamberlain from Stowmarket called 111 in November 2022, after being concerned her daughter was suffering from an allergic reaction after her eyes and lips began to swell up after she started taking a new medication.

She said: "We rang 111 at around 8pm on a Monday and received an automated message saying there was at least a wait time of 30 to 40 minutes, so we just hung up and took her straight to West Suffolk Hospital."

A few days later Stacey's daughter was diagnosed with scarlet fever - she has now recovered.

In November 2022, a spokeswoman for The Practice Plus Group, said: "We treat every call to the NHS 111 service seriously and strive to deliver the highest quality service.

"Primary Care across the country is under severe pressure and we continue to work closely with the wider system in Suffolk to provide the best care that we can at this time.

"There are at times, however, delays caused by pressures elsewhere in the wider health system and particularly this winter as COVID cases, colds, flu and respiratory illnesses are affecting more people than usual post-pandemic.

"We prioritise the most unwell using agreed clinical criteria and operate a safety call policy to ensure patients are kept safe, up to date about delays and to check whether there are any new or worsening symptoms that need to be assessed urgently.

"In any cases where this didn’t happen, we apologise and would welcome the opportunity to investigate through the appropriate channels."