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COVID-19: not to be sniffed at
P andemic on the line
Pandemic on the line
As Boris Johnson briefed a nervous public on the spread of COVID-19,
JO ELSEY was working with one of the UK’s NHS 111 service providers
UST how big a change did the arrival of services. The same software is used in NHS 111,
COVID-19 make to Britain’s IT needs? In the 999, Integrated Urgent Care Clinical Assessment
Jhealth sector, it was vast. At its peak, the Services, NHS 111 Online, and at the reception
volume of calls to Practice Plus Group increased by point in urgent care and emergency departments.
400 per cent.
The system is delivered by NHS Digital. All
Practice Plus Group recruited more than 600 new members of the clinical authoring team are
and temporary staff who, after careful selection, registered, licensed practitioners. NHS Pathways
went through a rigorous training programme. takes a symptom-based approach, rather than a
Support functions were redeployed. More than 240 diagnostic one.
staff were moved to home working.
iveryman Jo Elsey was Head of Quality
Signs of COVID-19 first appeared in the UK at Governance for Primary Care Services at
the start of January 2020. The virus was unlike LPractice Plus Group during this difficult
the flu pandemics planned for; it was not local, time. Practice Plus Group is England's largest
predictable or with a defined end. It was a independent provider of NHS services,
challenge to know where and when the pandemic including the provision of 111 services. During
would hit, and what each local NHS-system the height of the pandemic, call centres dealt
response would be. with more than 800,000 111 calls. Safeguarding
referrals (judged on the statutory criteria for
NHS Pathways proved crucial to this reaction. It adults and children at risk) increased by 80 per
is a clinical tool used for assessing, triaging and cent for the quarter.
directing the public to urgent and emergency care
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