Debate contribution: Healthcare: Integrated 111 Service

Debate contribution by Mr Alan Robinson on 18 May 2026.

MLA: Mr Alan Robinson
Party at the time: Democratic Unionist Party
Date: 18 May 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Opposition Business
Heading: Healthcare: Integrated 111 Service
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5548800

Text

We are content to support the motion on the basis that we wish to see the Minister consider how a 111 service has functioned on mainland GB and how effective it has been, particularly how it has impacted on EDs, GPs and the Ambulance Service. I say that respectfully to Colin, who has some personal experience of how it has worked in GB. We regularly hear and experience, even as patients ourselves, how urgent and emergency care is under huge strain. We see it in our emergency departments every day. We see and experience patients waiting far too long; ambulance crews stuck outside our hospitals; staff burnt out by doing everything that they can in really challenging circumstances; and people being frustrated because they simply cannot access the right care at the right time. Too many people end up in emergency departments not because they need emergency care but because they do not know where else to turn. When someone is worried about a sick child, an elderly parent or symptoms that may or may not be serious, they want clear guidance. At present, the experience can be a little confusing, with people trying to decide between contacting a GP, calling an out-of-hours service, attending a pharmacy, going directly to an A&E or dialling 999. For those who are vulnerable or elderly, it is not totally clear where the correct entry point is. We all know that an integrated 111 service would certainly not be a silver bullet for every challenge facing the health service. There needs to be some honesty about that, but, in saying that, it could become an important part of building a more joined-up model of care. That is why the Minister should explore its benefits in GB. However, there is an elephant in the room: unless social care is addressed, I am pretty confident that any new, integrated telephone service may only direct the public back into a service that is already bursting at the seams, particularly the EDs and ambulance services. Done properly and only under the right conditions, it could mean that a patient is assessed quickly and directed, first time, to the most appropriate service, which would ultimately ensure that people received the right care in the right place. That aligns directly with the Department's ambition to shift care closer to home. We often speak in the Chamber about the shift left and reducing unnecessary hospital demand. Done properly and, again, only under the right conditions, an integrated 111 service could become the front door to that wider transformation piece. A copy-and-paste model from GB may not suit our needs. The Province has its own geography, health structures and challenges, particularly in the countryside, where access can already be difficult. That means that any future proposals brought forward by the Minister must be designed around the specific needs of our population. Again, I caveat my comments by saying that there may be no point establishing a stand-alone phone line if the services behind it remain as they are. As we all know, they are completely overwhelmed. The motion asks for proposals to be brought forward by September 2026: I hope that that is doable. It will be interesting to hear what the Minister has to say. I look forward to whatever the Minister brings back to the House if the motion is agreed.

561 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Awaiting analysis

This record has not been analysed yet. It is not counted in any total until it has been assessed.

Disagree with this assessment?

Classifications can be challenged. A person reviews every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.

Challenge this classification