Publication - Research and analysis

Health - redesign of urgent care: evaluation - technical report

Published: 15 January 2025
From: Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
Directorate: Chief Operating Officer, NHS Scotland Directorate
Topic: Health and social care
ISBN: 9781836911654

Technical report to support the redesign of urgent care evaluation main report.

5 Discontinued Caller Survey Frequency Tables

Please note: Unless otherwise stated, all members of the panel were invited to answer all questions in the discontinued caller survey. If any of the response options had fewer than five responses these have been suppressed and replaced with an asterisk (*). Further suppression considerations were also applied if necessary (i.e., if only one response category had fewer than five responses, the next highest response category was also suppressed to prevent potential identification).

Table 1: Time since respondents contacted NHS 24 111
When was the LAST time you tried calling NHS 24 111 for urgent care and you ended the call before speaking to someone (By ‘urgent care’ we mean selecting the option when you think you need to attend an accident and emergency department)?	Number	Percentage
Within the last week	27	7.0%
Between 1 and 2 weeks ago	65	16.8%
Between 2 weeks and a month ago	57	14.7%
Between 1 month and 2 months ago	77	19.9%
Between 2 and 3 months ago	73	18.9%
Between 3 and 6 months ago	88	22.7%
Total	387	100.0%

Table 2: Caller type
Thinking about the last time you ended the NHS 24 111 call before speaking to anyone, did you call for yourself or on behalf of someone else (such as a friend or family member)?	Number	Percentage
I called 111 to get help for myself	188	48.6%
I called 111 to get help for a child aged 2-16 years	89	23.0%
I called 111 to get help for another adult	110	28.4%
Total	387	100.0%

Table 3: Respondents Health Board
Respondents’ Health board	Number	Percentage
NHS Ayrshire and Arran	18	4.7%
NHS Borders	8	2.1%
NHS Dumfries and Galloway	*	*
NHS Fife	25	6.5%
NHS Forth Valley	20	5.2%
NHS Grampian	55	14.2%
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde	99	25.6%
NHS Highland	15	3.9%
NHS Lanarkshire	36	9.3%
NHS Lothian	63	16.3%
NHS Orkney	*	*
NHS Shetland	*	*
NHS Tayside	41	10.6%
NHS Na h-Eileanan Siar (NHS Western Isles)	*	*
Total	387	100.0%

Table 4: Day/time of call to NHS 24 111
Thinking about the last time you ended the NHS 24 111 call before speaking to someone, what day/time did you try calling NHS 24 111?	Number	Percentage
Monday-Friday daytime (8am-6.30pm)	96	24.8%
Monday-Friday evening/night (6.30pm-8am)	143	37.0%
Saturday or Sunday daytime (8am-6.30pm)	69	17.8%
Saturday or Sunday evening/night (6.30pm-8am)	63	16.3%
Don’t know / can’t remember	16	4.1%
Total	387	100.0%

Table 5: Whether respondents called In-Hours or Out-of-Hours
Thinking about the last time you ended the NHS 24 111 call before speaking to someone, what day/time did you try calling NHS 24 111?	Number	Percentage
In-hours	96	24.8%
Out-of-hours	275	71.1%
Don’t know / can’t remember	16	4.1%
Total	387	100.0%

Table 6: Whether respondents contacted NHS 24 111 first for health concern
Was NHS 24 111 the first service you contacted for help with the health concern?	Number	Percentage
Yes	330	85.3%
No	57	14.7%
Total	387	100.0%

Table 7: Main reason for contacting NHS 24 111
What was the MAIN reason you called NHS 24 111 rather than contacting or going to another urgent care service (such as A&E or Minor Injuries Unit)? NB: Answered by those who contacted NHS 24 111 first	Number	Percentage
I thought that NHS 24 111 would be the easiest service to access	68	20.6%
I thought that NHS 24 111 was the most suitable service for this health concern	109	33.0%
I needed help out-of-hours	93	28.2%
I heard that NHS 24 111 should be contacted first to access urgent care when it’s not an emergency	31	9.4%
{My/Their} General Practice is often too busy to get a same-day appointment	10	3.0%
{I am/They are} not registered with a General Practice	*	*
I thought it would take too long to be seen at A&E or a Minor Injuries Unit	8	2.4%
I wanted to have a booked appointment at A&E or a Minor Injuries Unit	6	1.8%
Don’t know / can’t remember	*	*
Other	*	*
Total	330	100.0%

Table 8: Other service contacted before contacting NHS 24 111
Before calling NHS 24 111, where did you go, or who did you contact for help? N.B Answered by those who contacted another service before calling NHS 24 111	Number	Percentage (Respondents)	Percentage (Responses)
999 Ambulance Service	*	*	*
Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department	5	9%	7%
Minor Injuries Unit	5	9%	7%
General Practice	31	54%	42%
Pharmacist / chemist	12	21%	16%
Mental health services	*	*	*
Another health professional (such as a midwife, health visitor, dentist, optician)	*	*	*
NHS Inform online service	9	16%	12%
Another online health website	*	*	*
Another service	*	*	*
Total	57	130%	100%

Table 9: Main reason for contacting NHS 24 111 after contacting another service
What was the MAIN reason for calling NHS 24 111 following your contact with this service(s)? N.B Answered by those who contacted another service before calling NHS 24 111	Number	Percentage
The service/s referred me to NHS 24 111 or told me to call 111	19	33.3%
{My/Their} General Practice is often too busy to get a same-day appointment	9	15.8%
{I am/They are} not registered with a General Practice	*	*
I thought it would take too long to be seen at A&E or a Minor Injuries Unit	6	10.5%
{My/Their} condition got worse	15	26.3%
I was not satisfied with the help I received	*	*
A different reason	*	*
Total	57	100.0%

Table 10: Reason for ending call to NHS 24 111
You previously said that you ended the NHS 24 111 call before speaking to anyone. Why did you decide to end the call?	Number	Percentage (Respondents)	Percentage (Responses)
It was taking too long for my call to be answered	209	54%	42%
The recorded message advised me that my call would not be answered quickly	90	23%	18%
The recorded message advised me to contact my General Practice	48	12%	10%
The recorded message advised me to access the NHS Inform online service	43	11%	9%
I did not understand what the recorded message was saying	19	5%	4%
I felt frustrated by the recorded message / phone menu	42	11%	8%
I decided to contact a different health service	31	8%	6%
I no longer needed help, advice, or treatment	21	5%	4%
Total	387	130%	100%

Table 11: Length of time waited before ending call to NHS 24 111
Before you ended the NHS 24 111 call, roughly how long did you wait on the phone?	Number	Percentage
Less than 5 minutes	44	11.4%
Between 5 and 10 minutes	89	23.0%
Between 10 and 20 minutes	73	18.9%
Between 20 and 30 minutes	68	17.6%
Between 30 minutes and 1 hour	65	16.8%
More than 1 hour	40	10.3%
Don’t know / can’t remember	8	2.1%
Total	387	100.0%

Table 12: Action after ending call with NHS 24 111
After ending the call with NHS 24 111, what did you do next?	Number	Percentage
I called NHS 24 111 again	76	19.6%
I called 999 Ambulance Service	48	12.4%
I went to an Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department	77	19.9%
I went to a Minor Injuries Unit	30	7.8%
I contacted a General Practice (in working hours)	49	12.7%
I contacted a pharmacist / chemist	18	4.7%
I contacted another healthcare professional such as a Health Visitor or Midwife	5	1.3%
I looked on NHS Inform website for information	22	5.7%
I looked on another website for information	9	2.3%
I contacted another service	10	2.6%
Nothing - I did not contact any other service	43	11.1%
Total	387	100.0%

Table 13: Main reason for not contacting another service after ending call to NHS 24 111
You previously said that after you ended the call with NHS 24 111, you did not contact any other service for help with the health concern. What was the MAIN reason for this?	Number	Percentage
I did not know what other health service to contact	7	16.3%
I decided I could look after the health concern myself	7	16.3%
I decided to wait to see if the health concern improved	16	37.2%
Other health services are difficult to access or too far away	*	*
I no longer needed help, advice, or treatment	9	20.9%
Don't know / Can't remember	*	*
Total	43	100.0%

Table 14: Main reason for contacting other service chosen after ending call to NHS 24 111
You previously said that after you ended the call with NHS 24 111, you {action selected from table 12}. What was the MAIN reason you contacted this service? N.B. Answered by those that contacted a service after discontinuing their 111 call	Number	Percentage
I thought this was the most suitable service for the health concern	130	37.8%
I thought I would get help more quickly from this service	115	33.4%
I did not know what other health service to contact	*	*
{My/Their} condition changed (improved or worsened)	50	14.5%
Don’t know / can’t remember	*	*
Total	344	100.0%

Table 15: Length of time waited before taking action chosen after ending call to NHS 24 111
After you ended the call to NHS 24 111, how long did you wait before you {action selected from table 12}? N.B. Answered by those that contacted a service after discontinuing their 111 call	Number	Percentage
Less than 30 minutes	185	53.8%
Between 30 minutes and 2 hours	82	23.8%
Between 2 and 4 hours	40	11.6%
Between 4 and 8 hours	14	4.1%
Between 8 and 12 hours	9	2.6%
I waited more than 12 hours	5	1.5%
Don’t know / can’t remember	9	2.6%
Total	344	100.0%

Table 16: Health concern change, if at all, after ending call to NHS 24 111
After you ended the call to NHS 24 111, how did your/their health concern change, if at all, in the time that you waited before you {action selected from table 12}? N.B. Answered by those that contacted a service after discontinuing their 111 call	Number	Percentage
Yes, {my/their} health concern improved	76	22.1%
Yes, {my/their} health concern worsened	113	32.8%
No, {my/their} health concern did not change	148	43.0%
Don’t know / can’t remember	7	2.0%
Total	344	100.0%

Table 17: Length of time it took to get to A&E or Minor Injuries Unit
You previously said you went to {an Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department / a Minor Injuries Unit after ending the NHS 24 111 call. Roughly how long did it take you to get to the A&E Department / a Minor Injuries Unit? N.B. Answered by those that went to A&E or a Minor Injuries Unit after discontinuing their 111 call	Number	Percentage
Less than 15 minutes	29	27.1%
Between 15 and 30 minutes	52	48.6%
Between 30 minutes and 1 hour	20	18.7%
Between 1 and 2 hours	*	*
More than 2 hours	*	*
Don’t know / can’t remember	*	*
Total	107	100.0%

Table 18: Whether call was answered when calling back NHS 24 111
When you called NHS 24 111 back for the same reason, was your call answered that time? N.B Answered by those that contacted NHS 24 111 again	Number	Percentage
Yes, I spoke to someone when I called back	71	93.4%
No, I ended the call again before speaking to anyone	5	6.6%
Don’t know / can’t remember	*	*
Total	76	100.0%

Table 19: Action or advice received from NHS 24 111
At the end of the call, what action or advice did you receive from NHS 24 111? N.B Answered by those whose second call to NHS 24 111 was answered	Number	Percentage
An ambulance was sent out	10	14.1%
My call was transferred to 999	7	9.9%
I was advised to go to an A&E Department	21	29.6%
I was told I would get a call back	16	22.5%
My call was transferred to an out of hours service	10	14.1%
I was given advice on how to look after the health concern myself (such as accessing NHS Inform)	*	*
I was advised to contact my General Practice	*	*
I was advised to contact a pharmacist	*	*
I was advised to contact another health professional (such as a dentist/optician/midwife)	*	*
Other	*	*
Don’t know / Can’t remember	*	*
Total	71	100.0%

Table 20: Health rating after accessing urgent care services
How would you rate your health as a result of accessing urgent care services?	Number	Percentage
Much better	81	20.9%
A little better	120	31.0%
The same	109	28.2%
A little worse	21	5.4%
Much worse	12	3.1%
I did not access any urgent care services	44	11.4%
Total	387	100.0%

Table 21: Whether respondents would call NHS 24 111 in the future for the same health concern
If you had the same problem at the same time of day or night in the future, would you call NHS 24 111 to access urgent care?	Number	Percentage
Yes, definitely	144	37.2%
Maybe	157	40.6%
No	55	14.2%
Don’t know	26	6.7%
Not applicable	5	1.3%
Total	387	100.0%

Table 22: Overall rating of experience with urgent care services
Thinking about your contact with urgent care services from start to finish, overall... (please circle a number) ?	Number	Percentage
0 - I had a very poor experience	19	4.9%
1	10	2.6%
2	13	3.4%
3	22	5.7%
4	43	11.1%
5	53	13.7%
6	62	16.0%
7	58	15.0%
8	55	14.2%
9	24	6.2%
10- I had a very good experience	28	7.2%
Total	387	100.0%

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5 Discontinued Caller Survey Frequency Tables

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