NHS 111: Three deaths probed

NHS England chief nursing officer Jane Cunningham has told ITV Daybreak that "people should not lose confidence in the [NHS 111] service."

At least 22 "possible serious untoward" incidents - including three where a patient died - relating to the new NHS 111 advice line, a health magazine reports.

The deaths are being investigated. NHS England is keeping a 'careful eye' on the service.

Ms Cunningham added: "The three individuals will clearly need to be investigated and we need to see what really happened in those cases."

Read more: New NHS helpline 'is putting people's lives at risk'

Don Winchester, from West Sussex, has told ITV Daybreak that he had to wait eight hours for help after calling NHS 111.

He said: "I kept on being put through to Shropshire, who told me they didn't deal with my area. It was one horrendous day. I never want to experience that again."

Read more: New NHS helpline 'is putting people's lives at risk'

The new NHS 111 system is putting lives at risk because operators are making "inappropriate" decisions, an independent report has found.

At least 22 "possible serious untoward" incidents - three involving deaths - have been recorded in connection with the new NHS 111 advice line, it has been reported.

Two deaths are being investigated in the East Midlands, and one in the West Midlands, health magazine Pulse said.

Daybreak's Nick Dixon reports:

Read more: New NHS helpline 'is putting people's lives at risk'

The new NHS 111 system is putting lives at risk because operators are making "inappropriate" decisions, reports The Independent.

The first official survey of doctors' experiences of the new advice number, which was rolled out across the country last month, reveals widespread concerns about clinical failings and "terrible" communication.

The still-unpublished document will increase fears that the advice line will be unable to cope with the increased demand brought about by GP closures over the bank holiday weekend.

At least 22 "possible serious untoward" incidents - three involving deaths - have been recorded in connection with the new NHS 111 advice line, it has been reported.

Two deaths are being investigated in the East Midlands, and one in the West Midlands, health magazine Pulse said.

Read more: Investigation over 'unexpected death' after NHS 111 call

Dr Richard Vautrey, deputy chair of the British Medical Association's GP Committee, said the NHS 111 helpline service isn't delivering:

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Doctors have voiced concern about whether the new NHS 111 advice line can cope with demand over the Bank Holiday Monday weekend.

Dr Taj Hassaan, vice president of the College of Emergency Medicine, told the Daily Mail:

"We're worried that this is the first bank holiday following the launch of 111. At a time where 111 in parts of the country is fragile, we need to plan as well as we can".

The college said it has noted the "very serious concerns" being expressed about the efficiency and effectiveness of NHS 111 around the country.

"We have strong reservations and concerns about the amount of investment that has gone into providing clinical support to the computerised decision algorithms being used to help the public seek the service that is most appropriate to them, " a spokesman said.

The warning comes as at least 22 "potentially serious" incidents - three involving deaths - have been recorded in connection with the service, according to health magazine Pulse.

Read:'Three deaths' probed in connection with NHS 111 line

At least 22 "possible serious untoward" incidents - three involving deaths - have been recorded in connection with the new NHS 111 advice line, it has been reported.

Two deaths are being investigated in the East Midlands, and one in the West Midlands, health magazine Pulse said.

A spokesman from Derbyshire Health United - which covers NHS 111 in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire - said it was investigating the two deaths but so far it believes the system and processes that were followed would have been "exactly as expected".

NHS Direct - which covers eight NHS 111 areas - said it is investigating the unexpected death of a patient who was referred to a GP out-of-hours service in the West Midlands, Pulse reported

NHS England's board members have voted to set up a review into the service

• Read: What is the NHS service 111?