New NHS 111 call centre 'investment for future'

The Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, Julie Spence, cut the ribbon at the new Peterborough facility

A new NHS 111 call centre has been opened in Peterborough.

The centre, run by Herts Urgent Care (HUC), will offer services to people across the region who feel unwell but are unsure where to turn for help.

HUC's chief executive David Archer called the Fletton Quays site "an investment for the future" and said the facility would take about a million calls a year.

It was opened by the Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, Julie Spence, and the Mayor of Peterborough, Marco Cereste.

Julie Spence and David Archer stand by a plaque installed to mark the centre's opening

Mrs Spence, a former chair of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, said: "This is just the beginning in this new contact centre, from where further milestones will be etched.

"I'm sure the services will continue to evolve, offering more sophisticated methods of assessment and integration, almost certainly involving AI, into local NHS services.

"The future of healthcare is here in this new contact centre, and it's accessible to all."