Government announces plans for NHS 111 number rollout

The government has announced its plans to introduce the new NHS 111 non-emergency service over the coming year.

Designed to provide care and advice 24 hours a day, the new phone number will complement the existing 999 service and allows users to book urgent GP or nurse visits and ask for guidance on their medical complaints.

It will be accompanied by the introduction of online content, such as health information and a local service directory, while a mobile application offering similar tools is also planned.

NHS 111 will be made available to more than ten million people across the country by April 2012, with the aim of providing genuine round-the-clock care to UK patients.

Prime minister David Cameron said: "Too many people are [currently] confused about what is available to them or how best to get it, especially at night or if they are away from home."

This comes after new government figures last week revealed that the NHS performed strongly in the first quarter of 2011, in terms of making efficiency savings and improving standards.