Survey highlights doctors disagree with patient hotline

A survey of NHS Managers and doctors attending Hospital Directions at London ExCeL last week highlighted pessimistic views towards the Government’s introduction of a ‘24 hour hotline’.  In a survey of 102 respondents, 81% of doctors believed the new 111 patient hotline was not lessening the burden on hospitals.  The 24-hour hotline, which was introduced in April 2013, was intended to relieve the pressure on A&E departments. In addition to the existing 999 hotline, which deals with more serious emergencies, the new 111 hotline was put in place to deal with urgent but not life threatening health issues.  The survey