Isle of Wight NHS Trust teams have been contacted more than 4,000 times – either on the phone or online – by residents reporting to have potential symptoms of coronavirus.
The trust says the increase in phone calls is down to staff here not only having to answer 999 and 111 calls from Islanders, but also having to take them for other NHS services on the mainland.
According to NHS England data, people claiming to have possible COVID-19 symptoms have made 1,286 calls to call handlers on the Island since March 18.
Of those who have phoned 111 or 999, 750 were female and 536 were male.
Meanwhile, 3,060 assessments have been completed using the 111 online service by residents entering an Isle of Wight postcode. 1,952 were female and 1,108 were male.
A spokesperson for the Isle of Wight NHS Trust said:
“The data published by NHS England shows that the local NHS 111 service has been much busier than normal during the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
“Call handlers on the Isle of Wight have supported neighbouring parts of the NHS when they have been very busy and answered calls from the mainland. This has pushed up the overall number of calls received by NHS 111 on the Isle of Wight.”
NHS England says the figures are ‘not a count of people’, as residents may have contacted services more than once.
It says the data – which shows the rate per 100,000 of the population – is also not based on the outcomes of coronavirus tests.
So far 32 people have tested positive for COVID-19 on the Island.
As of today (7), five people have died after contracting the illness, as previously reported by Isle of Wight Radio.
The Isle of Wight NHS Trust says it has recruited 15 additional 999/111 call handlers, who are now in training.
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