24/05/2013
111 inquiry call
GPs have called for an independent inquiry into the chaos surrounding the introduction of the NHS 111 number.
GPs meeting in London set out the problems around the country as local 111 services rushed to launch before Easter.
The conference of local medical committees heard that the "least qualified" people were being used to conduct triage on patients.
Dr John Hughes, from Manchester, said it was an "omnishambles, a complete disaster, a complete waste of public money."
He added: "The finding of the pilot had been ignored. There was extreme pressure for a soft launch. We warned in the time running up that this was unsustainable … We need a public inquiry into this."
And Dr Bill Beeby, from Middlesbrough, said: "In no other area are minimally trained staff expected to deal with the complexity of triage.
"Giving out a phone number for a self-help group is fine but deciding who needs a paracetamol or an ambulance is not a job for triage."