New 111 non-emergency healthcare phone number

Ofcom today published proposals to enable the Department of Health to introduce a new single memorable phone number – 111 – to make it easier for patients to access non-emergency healthcare in their local area.

Every year Ofcom allocates millions of telephone numbers to communications providers for homes, businesses and organisations to use.

Ofcom’s consultation explains how the number allocation process will work and how introducing 111 will make the best use of the UK’s telephone number resource.

The Department of Health intends to introduce the service in England which will provide advice and information to the public when they need medical help urgently but the situation is not life-threatening.

Ofcom has set out a range of price options for calls to the service on behalf of the Department of Health, including making calls free to the caller, ten pence per call, 3 pence per minute or charged at a local or national rates. The Department of Health will decide on the price of the calls through negotiations with communications providers.

Ofcom’s consultation closes on 20 August 2009 and can be found at: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/three_number_non_emergency/

999 or 112 will continue to be the number to call in an emergency situation (both numbers provide access to the emergency services in the UK).

Ends.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. The Department of Health intends to pilot the number in certain parts of the country from spring 2010, subject to evaluation, and expects to roll out the service across England following these pilots.

2. Health authorities in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales may consider whether to introduce the 111 service following the outcome of the pilots in England next year.

3. Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services.

4. Under section 63 of the Communications Act 2003, Ofcom has a duty to ensure that the best use is made of the UKs telephone number resource.

5. For further information about Ofcom please visit: www.ofcom.org.uk Ofcoms news releases can be found at: www.ofcom.org.uk/media/

6. For further information on the details of the proposed 111 service please contact the Department of Health press office.

CONTACTS

Ofcom: Elizabeth de Winton (+44) (0)300 123 4000 ofcomnews@ofcom.org.uk
Department of Health press office: (+44) (0)20 7210 5221