London Ambulance Service (LAS) has been awarded the contract to provide NHS 111 services, in partnership with London Central and West (LCW), to the 1.5 million people who live within North Central London.
LAS and LCW will take on responsibility for 111 and GP out-of-hours service from November 2023 covering five London boroughs – Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Islington and Haringey. The new contract and accompanying new service model, which is worth £19 million per year, will have a number of benefits for patients, including an increase in ‘consult and complete’, meaning that patients’ needs are met within two hours.
Daniel Elkeles, Chief Executive for London Ambulance Service, said: “I’m so pleased that the North Central London Integrated Care System awarded their 111 contract to LAS as the lead provider in partnership with London Central and West. We will use the strengths of both organisations to put in place more responsive care models for both the 111 and GP out-of-hours services. This latest development means we are now the lead or sole provider of 111 in four of the five areas of London (South East, North East, North West and North Central) with a small role in South West London, so we’re extending our footprint to cover all of London for this service.
According to LAS, patients and members of the public will also benefit from having direct access to a multidisciplinary team of LAS professionals within the Clinical Assessment Service which will mean more timely access to assessments, greater clinical oversight and an increased use of alternative pathways to ensure access to the right service, first time.
