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NHS 111 online hits over 30 million users in 4 months

NHS Digital has highlighted over 30 million people have used digital channels during the pandemic to seek health advice.

In mid-March NHS 111 online was used more than 950,000 times a day, 95 times higher than it normally would have been used previously, and 30 million people visited NHS 111 online between 26 February and 11 August.

NHS Digital said over six million completed an online coronavirus assessment and received health advice based on the symptoms or travel history they reported.

Ben Davison, Director of Citizen Health Tech at NHS Digital, said: “These figures show how important the use of digital tools is in supplying vital health information to members of the public during this outbreak.”

“Since the start of the pandemic we have seen the number of NHS 111 online users increase dramatically.”

“This is helping to relieve the burden on frontline NHS services as well as helping to get vast numbers of people the correct advice for their condition.”

“This is a fluid and fast-changing situation and we are working closely with NHSX, NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care and other organisations across the system to develop robust and resilient solutions to a range of new issues.”

NHS Digital made this data from NHS111 online and NHS Pathways telephone calls available through a dashboard here.