SOUTH Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust has branded the first year of its 111 non-emergency phone line a huge success.

Staff at the Dorset branch of the trust celebrated the first anniversary of the 111 number at its headquarters in St Leonards.

A spokesman from the trust said: “NHS 111 is a new service and is performing really well.

“We have received 226,957 calls as at our first birthday. The trust is incredibly proud of its staff’s achievements and hard work over the last year, and their commitment to providing a safe and effective service to our patients in Dorset.”

He added: “Our staff listen carefully to what our patients and other healthcare professionals have to say so that we can use this information to continue to provide an excellent service to them.”