NHS 111 Helpline: Questions Raised Over Safety

A senior paediatrician has warned that the NHS 111 helpline may not be "safe and effective" for diagnosing illness in young children. Professor Neena Modi, who is president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said 111 was brought in at huge cost without any proper evaluation of whether it was a safe service. Last month, a report into the death of 12-month-old William Mead criticised GPs, out-of-hours services and a 111 call handler who failed to spot he had sepsis.