NHS 111 calls could be answered by ROBOTS within two years

NHS 111 calls could be answered by ROBOTS within two years Calls to the NHS 111 helpline could be answered by robots within the next two years, a leaked report suggests.

NHS England says it is likely smartphones will become 'the primary method of accessing health services'.

By 2020, nearly 16 million queries may be processed by algorithms rather than phone operators, the report adds. Yet, human staff will not done away with entirely as the system is thought to transfer callers to appropriate people once the gist of the complaint has been established.

In addition to robotic 111 recipients, 25 per cent of NHS such calls will be logged online next year, rising to one-third by 2020, according to the report, which is dated last month.

This controversial move is being introduced to ease overstretched NHS staff's workloads after one in five non-emergency callers gave up on the busiest day over the New Year period as a record numbers of calls came in, according to official figures.

Yet some are concerned this may affect people without internet access, such as the elderly. The Daily Mail

See also:

• If we’re spooked by a ‘shopbot’, we’re definitely not ready for NHS droids The Guardian