NHS 111 online hits 30m users during pandemic

NHS 111 online has seen record usage over the past four months, as more people used digital channels to access health advice during times of lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

NHS Digital reports that more than 30 million users visited NHS 111 online between 26 February and 11 August, with more than six million of these completing an online coronavirus assessment and receiving health advice based on the symptoms or travel history they reported.

At the peak of the crisis in mid-March the service was used more than 950,000 times a day, 95 times higher than it normally would be.

During the pandemic NHS 111 online has been updated continuously to reflect the latest health advice and emerging evidence, making it a trusted and recognised source for NHS and government guidance. More than 70 updates were issued to keep the service aligned with changing coronavirus symptoms and public health advice.

Ben Davison, director of Citizen Health Tech at NHS Digital, said: “These figures show how important the use of digital tools is in supplying vital health information to members of the public during this outbreak. Since the start of the pandemic we have seen the number of NHS 111 online users increase dramatically

“This is helping to relieve the burden on frontline NHS services as well as helping to get vast numbers of people the correct advice for their condition. This is a fluid and fast-changing situation and we are working closely with NHSX, NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care and other organisations across the system to develop robust and resilient solutions to a range of new issues.”

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This story was first published in digitalhealth.net

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