Doctors warned the Government today that it risks sacrificing patient safety for politics if it launches an emergency helpline that “doesn’t work properly”.
The claim was made by Dr Laurence Buckman of the British Medical Association as the organisation called on ministers to delay the new NHS 111 advice line.
Dr Buckman, chair of the BMA’s GP committee, questioned the quality of guidance given on the service, due to go live in England on Monday, during its pilot. He added that patients had waited hours before getting help. The BMA has sent a letter about its concerns to NHS chief Sir David Nicholson.
Dr Buckman said: “In some areas, NHS 111 effectively crashed because it was unable to cope.”
He added: “We cannot sacrifice patient safety to meet a political deadline for the launch of a service that doesn’t work properly.”
NHS England said it was aware of difficulties, but that “measures now in place will ensure resolution of these early problems”.
