Posted on: 27 October 2020
St Mary's and Charing Cross A&Es will join NHS 111 First service from 30 November - providing booked appointments for patients with urgent but not life-threatening medical needs.
From 30 November, anyone who needs urgent care at St Mary's or Charing Cross A&E will be able to book a face-to-face appointment by first contacting NHS 111. This is part of a London-wide initiative being rolled out in phases from 26 October.
Londoners will be asked to contact NHS 111 online or by phone before going to A&E if they have an urgent, but not life-threatening, medical need. Arrangements will not change for people with life-threatening illnesses or injuries, who should continue to dial 999, and anyone arriving at A&E without calling NHS 111 will still receive medical care, with those needing emergency treatment prioritised.
The 111 First service aims to help patients get the right care, in the right place, more quickly. The new system will also mean shorter waiting times and fewer people in A&E, helping with physical distancing and reducing the risk of Covid-19. In addition, arrangements will be in place to alert A&Es if shielding patients are coming in so they can be kept safe in a separate area.