Care UK was founded in 1982, and the company is a large UK based independent provider of health and social care. The service delivers more than 70 different NHS healthcare services including primary care consultation, GP Out of Hours, clinical assessment and treatment services, integrated urgent care services, prison health services and NHS 111.

Care UK provides contracts for 12 NHS 111 services across a range of geographical areas in England, including the South West and South East of England, London, parts of the Midlands and the East of England. (NHS 111 is 24 hours a day, telephone-based service where people are assessed, given advice or directed to a local service that most appropriately meets their needs. Calls are free for landlines and mobile phones).

For Somerset and Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) NHS 111, the main contract holders are Devon Doctors and BrisDoc who hold overall accountability for the Integrated Urgent Care contract and sub-contract NHS 111 to Care UK. In Gloucestershire, Care UK is the main contract holder for NHS 111.

Care UK – NHS 111 South West was registered as a location in April 2014 and operates from Nicholson House, Lime Kiln Close, Bristol BS34 8SR. The service is registered for the regulated activity: Transport services, triage and medical advice provided remotely. We visited this location as part of this inspection.

The South West registered location provides urgent health advice for Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire and Somerset with a population of approximately 2.2 million. Dental advice is provided for Gloucestershire. The service forms part of a network of five NHS 111 services.

The Care UK - NHS 111 South West service is staffed by a team of 230 staff, with 95% of staff such as trained health advisors (call advisors having undertaken intensive training to triage patients) and clinical advisors who are experienced nurses and paramedics having direct patient contact.