“Try NHS 111 online first this winter,” NHS advises patients

“Try NHS 111 online first this winter,” NHS advises patients image

Home » News » “Try NHS 111 online first this winter,” NHS advises patients

This winter the NHS is running a new campaign to encourage people to get to the help they need by using the NHS 111 online service.

The NHS 111 online service can assess and direct people to the most appropriate local service, including urgent treatment centres, GP practices, and consultations with a pharmacist. And, if needed, it can arrange a call back from a nurse, doctor or paramedic.

NHS 111 online is an easy and convenient way to get urgent help for a wide range of health problems. You can get assessed and directed to the right local service in as little as 90 seconds from the comfort of your own home.

A recent survey showed that 84% of users of the 111 online service found it easy or very easy to use.

Using the NHS 111 online service could save you a trip to A&E. It is estimated that up to two-fifths of A&E attendances are avoidable or could be better treated elsewhere. People should still call 999 and go to A&E in an emergency – when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.

The NHS 111 online service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Go to 111.nhs.uk to get assessed and directed to:

  • the right healthcare in your area; or
  • a call back from a nurse, doctor or paramedic; or
  • advice on self-care.

People should call 111 to speak to someone if they need to:

  • discuss complex medical problems;
  • discuss worries about a long-term condition; or
  • get medical advice for a child under five.

If you need medical help fast, use NHS 111 online to get assessed and directed to the right place for you – 111.nhs.uk

Key facts and statistics

The festive season is a particularly busy time for NHS 111 – last year there was a 99% increase people using 111.nhs.uk during the Christmas Bank Holiday with over 40,000 visits on Boxing Day alone.

New survey data reveals:

  • While almost half of respondents (48%) had used the NHS 111 phone service, only 9% had used the online service.  Nearly a third (31%) of respondents had never used either 111 service.
  • Respondents were most likely to use the NHS 111 phone service for a medical concern (55%), followed by their GP (46%) and then the NHS 111 Online service (40%).
  • Almost 2 in 5 (39%) didn’t know that NHS 111 Online can assess and direct you to the right care in as little as 90 seconds.
  • When asked which services they thought NHS 111 Online could direct them to:
    • A third (33%) didn’t know NHS 111 Online could direct you to A&E.
    • More than half (57%) didn’t know that NHS 111 Online could direct you to a pharmacist.

The research was conducted by Censuswide, with 2,001 respondents aged 16+ in England between 2 and 7 December 2022. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles.

View all news

Latest news and highlights

News

22 July 2025

Patients urged to “please use NHS services wisely” ahead of planned NHS…

Patients in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes have been urged to help the local NHS to preserve care for those who most need it, ahead…

News

22 July 2025

Local residents get answers to their cancer questions at shopping centre events

Hundreds of residents in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes have received answers to their questions about cancer and cancer screening, following a series of outreach…

News

18 July 2025

More than half of local people now have the NHS App on…

More than half of patients in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes have now downloaded the NHS App, new figures show. More than half of local residents have now signed up…

News

18 July 2025

NHS recruitment drive in Luton to support working-class communities

People from working class communities in Luton will be among those supported onto the NHS career ladder, as the Government’s Plan for Change tackles rampant health inequalities and gets Britain working.…

News

15 July 2025

Tragic death from measles prompts vaccination reminder to families

Parents in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes have been alerted to the risk of measles, following reports this weekend that a child has sadly died of the disease in Liverpool.…

News

9 July 2025

More patients seen at extended-hours clinics in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes

Over 194,000 patients in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes have taken advantage of ‘enhanced access’ appointments at general practices, which offer health services to people outside conventional opening hours. Figures…