South Central Ambulance Service has been chosen to take over the running of Buckinghamshire’s 111 healthline.
Aylesbury Vale and Chiltern clinical commissioning groups have given the organisation a short-term contract after current provider NHS Direct announced it was pulling out of the service nationally for financial reasons.
This will allow commissioners to make arrangements for the provision of the service in the longer term.
The groups say South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust has been successfully providing the NHS 111 service for Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Berkshire from call centres in Bicester and Otterbourne.
They have found the co-location of 999 and NHS 111 enables closer working between both services and ensures a consistent professional response to the public. Robert Majilton, senior responsible officer for the NHS 111 project for Aylesbury Vale and Chiltern clinical commissioning groups, said: “The NHS 111 service has been operating well here to date and detailed planning for the transfer is continuing to ensure an effective, safe and resilient service for the local people of Buckinghamshire.”
NHS 111 has been introduced to make it easier for people to access local NHS healthcare services in England. You can call 111 when you need medical help fast but it’s not a 999 emergency.