Who provides the GP Out of Hours Service for Powys?
- Shropdoc provides the GP Out of Hours service for the majority of Powys. This will continue to be the case after the new 111 telephone number is implemented from 3 October 2018.
- Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board provides the GP Out of Hours service for the Ystradgynlais area. The 111 telephone number is already in place in the Ystradgynlais area.
What is 111 and why are you introducing it now?
- The 111 service will join up two services that are currently provided by different parts of the NHS in Wales – namely NHS Direct Wales and the GP out-of-hours service when your own surgery is closed.
- The introduction of a simple, free, memorable three-digit number has been planned in NHS Wales for a number of years. We know people sometimes find it hard to know which service to contact and when, so introducing a free-to-call number will make it easier not just to access urgent care but also health information and advice if you are not sure about what to do. It will also help ensure A&E departments and emergency ambulance service are used only for those patients who need them in a life-threatening emergency.
Why would I phone 111? What help can I get? Do I call this number instead of my GP or 999?
- 111 is available 24 hours a day and is there to provide advice if you are unsure which health service you need, or if you require general health advice or information.
- By linking NHS Direct Wales with GP out-of-hours, 111 Wales will be able to offer a range of health information, advice and urgent treatment when your condition or issue is urgent but not life-threatening.
- Remember, 999 should only ever be used when there is a life-threatening emergency. So if it is not an emergency, use 111.
- During the working week (8.00am-6.30pm, Monday to Friday), your own GP practice is available in the usual way and this will continue to be the main service that patients routinely use. There is no change in how and when you access your own GP during those hours.
- Outside of these hours including Bank Holidays, 111 Wales is your new way to get in touch with GPs and other health professionals who are available to respond to urgent issues for patients who can’t wait until their GP practice re-opens.
Who will I speak to? Will they know what they are talking about or will they just rely on computer software?
- If you call 111, you will initially speak to a trained call taker. All of their call takers undergo extensive training and education and they will ask you a series of short questions and take basic details (including your name, address, date of birth and so on) so that health care professionals such as doctors and nurses can focus on the clinical assessment.
- This will help 111 to prioritise the urgency of calls so that the sickest people get treated first.
- If 111 assess that you need to talk to your GP Out of Hours service they will transfer your details to Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board (Ystradgynlais area) or Shropdoc (rest of Powys) which are the local providers of GP Out of Hours services.
Will I get the help I need straight away or a call back/doctor’s appointment/ambulance?
- Depending on the urgency and severity of your call, you may speak to a health care professional, who could be a nurse, pharmacist or a doctor.
- Sometimes it may be necessary for you to speak to more than one person to get the right treatment but we will keep this to an absolute minimum so you get to speak with the right health care professional first time.
- If your need is urgent and requires you to see a GP out-of-hours, you will be asked to attend a primary care centre based at one of our hospital sites, as is the case currently. However, for the majority of conditions, our highly skilled nurses or pharmacists will be able to deal with many cases over the phone.
- Our call takers are trained to recognise when there is a threat to life; if you dial 111 but do need an ambulance, you will be put through to the emergency ambulance service.
Is the whole GP out-of-hours service transferring to NHS 111?
- No, only the call handling and initial clinical assessment formerly undertaken by the out-of-hours services will transfer to 111.
- Face-to-face appointments, GP telephone consultations and mobile visits will continue to be provided by the local out-of-hours provider - Shropdoc (in most of Powys) or Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board (in the Ystradgynlais area).
What will happen if I forget to call NHS 111 and I call the Shropdoc number instead?
- You do not need to worry about remembering the new number. If you call the current Shropdoc number, you will hear a message advising you who to call.
What will happen if I call my GP practice out of hours?
- If you call your GP practice outside normal opening hours, you will hear a message directing you to call the NHS 111 service. If you call within normal opening hours, you will be able to speak to practice receptionists as normal.