The Health Information and Quality Authority has published a health technology assessment (HTA) on providing a national phone line specifically for people with acute, non-urgent medical care needs. The assessment was requested by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and will inform a decision on whether to introduce a new telephone service in Ireland. 

Acute, non-urgent care needs are medical issues that may require advice from a medical professional, but can typically be managed outside of a hospital setting. These include issues such as a minor burn, flu, or fever. People often struggle to know whether their condition is urgent or where to seek help, leading to unnecessary pressure on emergency services, or people avoiding care altogether because they are unsure who to contact. 

HIQA was requested by the HSE to examine if adding a dedicated telephone service that was free to access and could guide callers towards the best place to go for care in their situation, would be beneficial in Ireland. 

HIQA found that this type of telephone service, already used in countries such as the UK, Sweden and Denmark, can help guide patients to appropriate care. However, it is unclear whether these services reduce pressure on frontline services. It is also challenging to predict how widely the telephone service would be used in Ireland. Based on current usage of frontline services and international data, HIQA estimates that call volumes could range from 250,000 to one million calls per year, highlighting the substantial uncertainty.

Key decisions would need to be made about how the service operates — including whether it runs 24/7 or only during evenings and weekends. Call handlers could include trained non-clinical staff, nurses or doctors. However, HIQA observed that using clinical staff to answer calls may reduce the availability of such staff for direct patient care.

Depending on demand and how the service is delivered, the estimated cost of providing the service over five years ranges from €35 million to €250 million.

Dr Conor Teljeur, HIQA’s Chief Scientist, said: “These sorts of services have been shown to be popular with the public in other countries. However, it would require significant resources to run, and it is unclear whether it would reduce pressure on emergency or GP services.”

The HTA on a dedicated phone line for non-urgent medical care was informed by a public consultation process, which ran for six weeks between 7 May and 18 June 2025. Read the published HTA at www.hiqa.ie. 

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Further information: 
Caoimhe O’Connell
Communications Manager 
087 639 5916
caoconnell@hiqa.ie

Notes to the Editor: 

• An acute, non-urgent medical care need is where the investigation or intervention for an injury or illness could be safely deferred or managed in various healthcare settings such as a GP practice, a pharmacy or another community-based service.
• The projected demand for a 24/7 acute, non-urgent telephone service was estimated to range from approximately 270,000 to 960,000 calls per annum. In developing these estimates, consideration was given to how people currently access healthcare for acute, non-urgent issues. Services considered included through primary care services, out-of-hours GPs, pharmacy consultations, emergency ambulance services, and emergency departments, recognising that some individuals may choose to contact a telephone service instead. The estimates also took into account those with unmet healthcare needs who may view the service as a more accessible option.
• Depending on demand and the service model, the five-year cost was projected to range from around €35 million for a low-demand, out-of-hours service staffed by clinical call handlers, to approximately €250 million for a high-demand, 24/7 service staffed by non-clinical call handlers.
• Implementation of a new telephone service would require strategic decisions regarding staffing levels and operating hours as these have significant implications for costs. Choosing between a 24/7 service or limited operational hours (for example, only on evenings and weekends) would also have significant implications for accessibility.
• Significant recruitment challenges are likely, particularly for clinical call handlers, given the existing shortages of healthcare staff. Establishing this telephone service could add to current workforce pressures by drawing clinical staff away from frontline care. Recruitment difficulties could also arise is the service is staffed by non-clinical call handlers.
• Such a telephone service would require close integration with existing services to avoid duplication and unnecessary use of resources. Without improved integration there is a risk that patients would be directed to a service that does not have capacity to provide an appointment.