Practice Plus Group NHS Contact Centre 111 moves into the North East
NHS 111 is moving into Cavendish House at Prince’s Wharf in Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, bringing 300 jobs into the area in a move that reflects the ongoing regeneration of the Tees Valley.
Practice Plus Group, a company that runs a network of NHS 111 contact centres throughout England on behalf of the NHS, has been one of the largest providers of NHS 111 contact centres since the service was rolled out 10 years ago, and takes almost three million calls every year.
The new Stockton-on-Tees centre is a reflection of the company’s longterm plan to grow its NHS 111 services in order to meet the increased demand seen over recent years as the NHS faces unprecedented pressures. The centre will provide additional support to the existing centres around the country, helping as many people as possible access NHS 111 when they need it.
Depending on each case, NHS 111 can advise people what action to take, for example whether to go to A&E, an urgent treatment centre or a local pharmacy. The service can arrange for a nurse or paramedic to call back, for a caller to be seen by a healthcare professional, or it can help them access specialist support for dental or mental health.
The company appointed specialist workplace strategy, design and build specialists TSK Group to design the modern work environment and make it an attractive place to work, with 98 workspaces, plus 60 training and overflow spaces. Roles include Health Advisors and Clinical Advisors who receive a thorough training and induction programme.
Practice Plus Group chose Stockton-on-Tees because people in the area are actively looking for work, with Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s Employment and Training hub also providing bespoke support to recruit local people into the high-quality roles. It’s also a fitting move for Practice Plus Group’s Chief Executive, Jim Easton, who grew up in the area from his teens before going on to create and roll out the NHS 111 service in the Department of Health in the early 2000s.
Jim Easton, Practice Plus Group CEO, commented,
“I am delighted to be able to invest in such a fantastic area that has many fond memories for me personally, but more importantly, to show our commitment to running a reliable NHS 111 service nationally.
This new contact centre will ensure that regardless of which of our call centres around the country becomes overwhelmed with calls, we can meet the demand and help as many people as possible. Those joining us in Stockon-on-Tees will save lives. These are incredibly important jobs.”
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