A NEW NHS 24-hour 365-day-a-year telephone number is being introduced but is set to cost approximately £610,000 in just one year.

The NHS 111 number will act in a similar way to the police 101 number and will make it easier for patients to access local NHS healthcare services when they need non-emergency medical help fast.

However the number, which will be implemented across the country by April 2013, could produce a recurring cost pressure on NHS Gloucestershire and NHS Swindon of £610,000 in the first year.

By the fifth year of it being up and running, it could cost £744,000 – £460,000 in Gloucestershire and £284,000 in Swindon.

Justine Rawlings, senior commissioning manager for unscheduled care, delivered a report to the NHS Gloucestershire and NHS Swindon Board Meeting yesterday.

She said: “The NHS 111 service must be in place across the country by April 1, 2013. The business case currently suggests that this would, in fact, produce an increasing recurring cost pressure on NHS Gloucester-shire and NHS Swindon, reaching £744,000 by year five.

“This has been produced using the most pessimistic analysis of costs and benefits.

“Current concerns focus on our inability to project IT infrastructure costs and uncertainty nationally regarding the funding available from the discontinuation of the NHS Direct 0845 number.”

The service has already been piloted in some areas of England and early results suggest there has been some reduction in attendances at hospital A&E departments and dispatch of ambulances, and a high degree of public satisfaction.

When patients call 111, they will be assessed straight away by a team of fully-trained advisers and experienced nurses.

In an emergency, an ambulance will be sent just as quickly as if you had dialled 999 without the need for any further assessment.

For any other health problems, the NHS 111 call advisers will be able to direct patients to the service that is best able to meet their needs.

For less urgent needs, patients should continue to contact a GP or local pharmacist and for immediate, life-threatening emergencies, patients should call 999.

Justine said: “We have developed a service specification to ensure the service will meet local needs.”