Answering the Call: New NHS 111 Centre Opens in Teesside

For many, the NHS 111 service is the first point of contact when seeking medical advice. A brand new centre, operated by Practice Plus Group, has opened its doors in Thornaby, Teesside, bolstering the vital frontline service.

"You get all sorts," says Rachel Smith, a health advisor at the centre, highlighting the diverse range of calls she receives. "This morning I've had call after call. Today I've done three ambulance dispatches, including someone with chest pains. We also handle a lot of dental and mental health issues. Some calls are quite difficult. It's a wide variety, from little children to the elderly."

Smith, a 33-year-old mother of two, initially had no medical qualifications. However, after extensive NHS training alongside experienced colleagues and clinicians, she feels confident in her role. "I genuinely care about who I'm speaking to," she says. "I feel like I've helped them. I feel like I'm thriving in it."

The new Thornaby centre employs 60 staff, with plans to expand to 300 over the next year. It provides callers with advice on appropriate actions, such as attending A&E, an urgent treatment centre, or a pharmacy. The service also arranges calls with nurses and paramedics, appointments, and specialist support, aiming to alleviate pressure on GPs and A&E departments.

Jim Easton, CEO of Practice Plus Group, emphasises the importance of the centre's role: "Those joining us in Stockton-on-Tees will save lives. These are incredibly important jobs." He highlights the growing reliance on the 111 service: "We do 2.5 million calls a year. Anyone with any worry about their health rings us. 111 started a decade and a half ago and has grown and grown. It's like the front door for the NHS increasingly, it's a central part of the fabric of the NHS."

Easton explains the breadth of the service: "It could be anything from something really minor to something really serious. We're right at the forefront of people's ability to get hold of healthcare. In theory, we're the less serious end. In practice, we get people who should dial 999, and we're immediately able to dispatch an ambulance. Beyond that, it's the full range of things – chronic illnesses, mental health challenges, minor injuries, flu, covid. We can make a recommendation of what to do and we can do practical things like arrange to see a GP, arrange an appointment. We can make things happen in the real world of the NHS."

The company's decision to expand its call centre portfolio in Teesside was driven by several factors, including the desire to contribute to economic regeneration and access a skilled workforce. Easton highlights an intriguing factor: "The Teesside accent always scores very well as a reassuring, friendly and welcoming tone of voice on the phone. There are call centre studies."

Local leaders view the new centre as a crucial step towards the forthcoming care and health innovation zone at Teesdale Business Park and the Tees Marshalling Yards, aligning with other digital and IT businesses in the area. Stockton Council leader Councillor Bob Cook highlights the centre's contribution to local employment: "We want to try to get as many local people into jobs as we can. It also coincides with our care and health innovation zone, part and parcel of our ambitious plans for the North Thornaby and Teesdale area. This is one of the first businesses to relocate to Thornaby. We’ve been told it’s the first time they’ve come to the north of the country. This is the perfect place to do it.”

Stockton Council chief executive Mike Greene sees the centre as a catalyst for further growth: "It's another good anchor with the care and health innovation zone. It will help that growth. We're keen to unlock it with businesses clustering around each other, sharing knowledge, flourishing in Stockton and Thornaby. It's a good first step. We know we've got great, skilled people here who are passionate about the place. It's local jobs for local people but it's also contributing to a key agenda with health. It helps to tackle health inequalities."