New free number for NHS

Published on 28/01/2013 12:00

A FREEPHONE number for non-emergency health services protects the “fundamental principle” of the NHS, a city MSP has said.

The 111 number will be used across Scotland to access NHS 24 from April next year.

A call to the service costs the same as a local phone call.Nationalist Gordon MacDonald, who represents Edinburgh Pentlands, said: “It is a fundamental principle that our health service should be free at the point of contact – and the introduction of this number will ensure that is the case.”