West Midlands Ambulance Service to take on non-emergency 111 calls

West Midlands Ambulance Service will take over the running of 111 services for most of the region.

It's the first transfer of non-emergency services to an ambulance service in the UK.

Health bosses say the integration of the 999 and 111 calls will lead to significant improvements for patient care.

All 111 call-handling from across the Midlands apart from Staffordshire will transfer from current service providers Care UK in early November.

WMAS Chief Executive Anthony Marsh said the change would help to reassure worried callers.

He said:

WMAS will be in charge of handling most of the West Midland's 999 and 111 calls from November. Credit: ITV News Central

Health bosses say the plan will help take the pressure off other services, such as A & E, as it would see fewer patients being sent ambulances and being asked to attend the emergency department.

Rachael Ellis, Chief Officer for Integrated Urgent & Emergency Care, Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG, said:

The plans would also see more calls diverted to GPs, urgent treatment centres and rapid response services operated in the community.

WMAS say that 999 should be called only for life threatening conditions, while 111 should be used if it's not an immediate emergency or a life-threatening condition.