WARNING !

May contain good ideas and also contain implied criticism of the NHS.

When you think about it this is a VERY attractive idea - just sweep away a whole layer of call centre staff and lower grade medically trained folk. Clearly the best of the aforementioned and all the 111 doctors would simply be transferred to the 999 service.

111 would combine with the support provided by the Virgin, British Gas, BT and Openreach.

For all people still calling 111 there would be a single automated service which would lead to one of several recorded messages such as:-

0. Are you bleeding heavily or are in extreme pain? If so dial 999 immediately. (This takes 5 seconds to deliver)

The triage (in 12 parts) then continues:-

1. Have you checked that everything is turned on ?
2. Have you tried turning everything off and then back on again after counting to 20.
3. Are you bleeding heavily ? If so, dial 999 immediately.
4. What is your name, address, including postcode, and best contact telephone number
5. When did this problem start ?
6, Can if wait until our day staff and engineers and medical professionals arrive at work at 8am ?
7. ?
8. ?
9. ?

Some HTML allowed:

Have you even considered why the 111 service was ever introduced and how it relieves pressure on the 999 service?

Dear Alan,

I have had extensive, personal interactions with the 111 service and I can assure you, as a fellow University academic, that it is very broken!

Best wishes to you and to most of the folk at UEA, except for those in the CRU.

Any contributions from past or present members of the CRU are welcome.

See the next discussion threads.

Ian

Thursday, 11 June 2020

The Times

Via e-mail

Dear Sirs,

I have previously suggested that the non-emergency 111 number be discontinued forthwith.

I have had feedback that develops this idea further.

Let the household “triage” their own incident and phone the appropriate helpline. Obviously these help-lines will still be the various call centres in use by BT, Virgin, Sky, Openreach, British Gas, et al.

The following new short numbers will VASTLY improve the speed and efficiency of the system:-

999 for Police Emergency. Urgent/ Severe/ Frightening/ Important
101 for Police Routine business

998 for Ambulance Emergency. Urgent/ Severe/ Frightening/ Important
988 for Ambulance Routine business

997for Fire Brigade Emergency. Urgent/ Severe/ Frightening/ Important
987 for Fire Brigade Routine business

996 for Coastguard Emergency. Urgent/ Severe/ Frightening/ Important
986 for Coastguard Routine business

995 for Cave and Mine Rescue Emergency. Urgent/ Severe/ Frightening/ Important
985 for Cave and Mine Rescue Routine business

994 for Bomb Disposal Emergency. Urgent/ Severe/ Frightening/ Important
984 for Bomb Disposal. Routine business

993 for Military Police Urgent/ Severe/ Frightening/ Important
984 for Military Police. Routine business

666 for Outbreaks of Devil Worship

Etc

I am your obedient servant

Ian

Dear Andrew,

Can you get this non-climate, very political, stuff off this Blog ?

That Iantanyrallt is too opinionated for his own good.

Angry Ann

Ooooops, wrong Discussion.

Sorry.

Ian