Coronavirus: Record 30 million people sought medical help from NHS 111 during pandemic

In mid-March, service was used more than 950,000 times a day

Record numbers of people in England sought help through the NHS 111 website during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, NHS Digital has said.

The health body reported more than 30 million users visited NHS 111 online between 26 February and 11 August.

Over six million of these completed an online coronavirus assessment.

In mid-March, NHS 111 online was used more than 950,000 times a day, a rate 95 times higher than it normally would be, NHS Digital said.

As well as people getting up to date advice on the virus as well as other illnesses, the online service also offers isolation notes.

Data from the site, as well as calls to the 111 telephone service, can also be monitored to try and detect local flare-ups of Covid-19.

“These figures show how important the use of digital tools is in supplying vital health information to members of the public during this outbreak,” said Ben Davison, director of citizen health tech at NHS Digital.

“Since the start of the pandemic we have seen the number of NHS 111 online users increase dramatically.

“This is helping to relieve the burden on frontline NHS services as well as helping to get vast numbers of people the correct advice for their condition.”

PA