NHS 111 Integrated Urgent Care services directly book into GP appointments via GPConnect, in accordance with the 1:3,000 contractual requirement.

During the junior doctors industrial action periods in 2024, all NHS 111 primary care 12hr & 24hr+ disposition outcomes were altered. This was from directly booking into practice 111 slots, to advising callers to call their practice or to go to their local pharmacy. This interim solution was implemented to protect practice slots for those higher acuity, more urgent patients who may have contacted 111 as a result of the industrial action.

It is important to note that during this time, there was no reported rise in 111 demand and therefore no direct impact on practices.

NHS 111 will be reverting to previous process of NHS 111 directly booking into the available 111 Practice appointments rather than asking the patient to call through on Monday 12 January 2026. As per current practice, if there are no practice appointments available within the disposition timeframe, the patient will be asked to call through to the practice.

There will be no change to dispositions or outcomes. This is a simple revert of practice to previous direct booking process. To give assurance, the NCL system is currently reporting 30% utilisation of 111 practice appointments and we are not expecting an increase in practice demand via the 111 service for the lower acuity patients.