NHS 111

Free 24/7 Urgent Medical Advice and Healthcare Signposting for Families

Who It’s For: Everyone — children from birth, young people, adults and families across England. Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. For children under five, always call rather than using the online service. Translator services available in over 200 languages. BSL video interpreter and text relay also available.

What They Offer: NHS 111 is the NHS non-emergency urgent care service, providing fast, free medical advice and directing people to the right care at the right time. Trained advisers — supported by nurses, paramedics and other healthcare professionals — assess symptoms and direct callers to the most appropriate service, whether that is a GP, urgent treatment centre, pharmacist, hospital or self-care at home. Since 2024, NHS 111 has also offered a dedicated mental health crisis option — available to people of all ages including children — connecting callers to a trained mental health professional. The online symptom checker is available for those aged five and over via the NHS website or NHS App.

Support Includes:

• Urgent medical advice — assessment of symptoms for all ages, 24/7, free
• Signposting to the right service — GP, urgent treatment centre, pharmacy, A&E or self-care
• Healthcare professional callback — doctor, nurse or paramedic can call you back if needed
• Emergency dental advice — referral to emergency dental care when needed
• Mental health crisis support — select the mental health option to speak to a trained mental health professional (available across England)
• Online symptom checker — via 111.nhs.uk or the NHS App for those aged five and over
• Translation service — available in over 200 languages, simply state the language needed when calling
• BSL video interpreter service — for Deaf BSL users
• Text relay — for those who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment
• Transfer to 999 — if the call handler identifies a life-threatening emergency

Referral / Access: No referral needed. Call 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk at any time, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Free from landlines and mobiles. For children under five always call rather than use the online service. For life-threatening emergencies always call 999.

Why This Matters: Knowing when and where to get medical help for your child can be stressful — especially outside GP hours, at weekends or in the middle of the night. NHS 111 takes the guesswork out of that decision, assessing your child’s symptoms quickly and telling you exactly what to do next. Whether it is a high temperature, an injury, a mental health crisis or uncertainty about whether something needs urgent attention, NHS 111 is always there — free, fast and available around the clock.