To ask the Minister of Health for an assessment of the effectiveness of the Phone First Service in addressing pressures on those delivering Urgent Care.

Phone First is currently available in the Northern, Southern and Western Trusts, with an interim service in Downe in the South Eastern Trust. The service was also recently introduced at Lagan Valley Hospital.

From 1 December 2020, more than 134,000 patients have utilised the Phone First service. Of these, some 29,500 (22%) were discharged with advice or referred back to their GP; around 60,400 (45%) were scheduled for an appointment at an Emergency Department, Urgent Care Centre or alternative pathway; and some 40,300 patients (30%) were referred directly to an Emergency Department.