COVID-19: Public inquiry should examine 'mishandling' by NHS 111 service during first wave of pandemic

Families who have lost loved ones to coronavirus believed the public inquiry into pandemic should examine the alleged 'mishandling' of the crisis by the NHS 111 service. The COVID-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group said the role of the telephone advice service in the early days of the crisis was to 'alleviate the burden on the NHS', with 'horrific consequences'. Despite an extra 700 call handlers being added, the service was 'swamped' as the first wave hit and operators were making life and death decisions with just 10 weeks of training, it argued.