HEALTHWATCH Cornwall has announced that the South Western Ambulance Service Foundation Trust (SWASFT) has given notice on its NHS 111 provision for Cornwall. It will end the contract after March 31, 2016.

NHS Kernow, the commissioners of the NHS 111 service in Cornwall, said the length of time before the contract ends would be ample to ensure a new high-quality service is in place, supporting its ambition to create an integrated healthcare system.

Governing body member Dr Iain Chorlton said: 'The public is not affected by this decision and should continue to call 111 for 24-hour urgent healthcare advice. We would like to thank SWASFT for its commitment to providing the NHS 111 non-emergency medical help service.'

Meanwhile, concerns relating to urgent care services in Cornwall, heard by the county's health and social care services watchdog, have led it to call for a number of improvements.

Chief Executive of Healthwatch Cornwall Debbie Pritchard said that due to the amount of patient feedback, professional statements, and the rapidly changing picture of urgent care in the county, it was felt an investigation was needed into people's understanding of when to use urgent services in Cornwall, how they would like to access GPs, and what services they would be happy to receive at a pharmacy was needed.

'Our recommendations based on the responses of more than 600 people include the need for SWASFT to further improve awareness of when to use 999 and 111 appropriately to help prevent inappropriate calls to 999,' said Ms Pritchard. 'We are also asking health commissioners and Public Health to further increase public awareness of the severity of certain health conditions to ensure the right service is accessed, and to consider the future role of pharmacies to provide more non-urgent care services across Cornwall.'