AN 80-YEAR-OLD woman with terminal cancer had to wait 30 hours after calling 111 for urgent medical help.

Doreen Whitworth’s husband Victor, 85, called for help shortly before midnight on Saturday, October 29, although a doctor didn’t arrive until 5.40am on Monday.

The pair have been married for more than 60 years, and live in Middle Touches, Chard.

Mr Whitworth said: “She has been having treatment for cancer and she had been having chemotherapy since last January.

“The doctors have told her that they can’t do anymore for her, and if she needed help to call 111.

“On Saturday afternoon she started to feel poorly. On Saturday night, around about midnight, she was feeling frightened and more poorly so I called 111. They said they were really, really busy, and said they would call me back.

“It was getting very late so I had gone to bed and then I got the call back. I fumbled the phone but then called them back direct and they said they were very busy and that a doctor was on his way, but he had a lot of people to see.

“He finally came at 5.40am on Monday morning. We worked it out that it was nearly 30 hours after the urgent call.”

Although the 111 service is not for emergencies, the NHS website says it is to be used “if you urgently need medical help or advice but it’s not a life-threatening situation”.

This includes people needing medical help fast but it’s not a 999 emergency.

Mr Whitworth added: “She didn’t want an ambulance, she just wanted to see a doctor. When he arrived he said he had been very busy and he had been all around and just come from Bridgwater. He was a real gentleman, very nice and he worked very fast and efficiently.

“This 111, it is a pointless emergency service. It is under-staffed and under-funded.”

A spokesman for Somerset Clinical Commission Group said: “Somerset CCG and Somerset Doctors Urgent Care (the organisation funded by Somerset CCG to provide the NHS 111 and GP out-of-hours urgent care service) are looking into the enquiry.

“The NHS 111 service in Somerset does occasionally experience periods of higher than expected demand.

“However, Members of the public are still advised to contact the 111 service for health advice or information or if they become ill after their GP surgery has closed, such as overnight, at weekends or over Bank Holidays.”