As crisis in NHS 111 helpline deepens... A&E chiefs fear bank holiday meltdown Doctors fear that the NHS 111 system faces meltdown this weekend It emerged that three patients may have died due to failings in system Hospitals have seen a rise in patients with non-urgent conditions They were sent by the staff of 111, many of whom are unqualified The new NHS 111 system faces meltdown this weekend, doctors fear. The warning came as it emerged that at least three patients may have died because of failings in the helpline. As well as the deaths, a further 19 cases involving poor care are being investigated - even though 111 has been running for only a few weeks. The figures emerged as A&E departments braced themselves for a surge of patients over the bank holiday weekend as a result of flaws in 111. A&E departments are braced for a surge of patients over the bank holiday as a result of flaws with 111 Hospitals have already been inundated with patients with non-urgent conditions sent by unqualified call centre staff manning the new line. This weekend is the first bank holiday since the helpline was launched last month and there are concerns it will not be able to cope with the extra demand brought about by GP surgeries being closed for three days. Many hospitals have drafted in extra doctors and nurses to deal with a surge in admissions expected this weekend and back-up plans are in place to set up temporary wards. The 111 system has replaced NHS Direct and local GP out-of-hours numbers. But the lines are manned by call centre staff with no medical training using a computer system which is liable to crash. Some critically-ill patients have waited 11 hours to be called back by a nurse and the British Medical Association has warned that lives are being put at risk. Figures obtained by Pulse magazine confirmed that at least three patients are feared to have died due to failings in the helpline. But the true number is likely to be higher because many organisations contracted to run 111 refused to provide data. One 83-year-old patient died in the East Midlands after their friend called 111 and said they had collapsed with severe abdominal pain. It is feared that the call centre employee failed to summon an ambulance quickly enough and when paramedics eventually arrived the patient was dead. At least three people have died as a result of flaws in the system, while the real figures are thought to be higher Another patient died in the West Midlands after they dialled 111 and were told to go to their nearest GP clinic. NHS Direct, which runs the helpline in that area, would not provide details but said it was being investigated along with six other non-fatal incidents. A third death involving a suspected overdose is being looked at in the East Midlands. The family called 111 and requested mental health assistance but the patient was found dead at their house. A total of 22 "serious untoward incidents" - including the three deaths - are being investigated although the true number is likely to be higher as most organisations refused to provide figures. Dr Peter Holden, a senior GP at the British Medical Association said: "We don't know how serious these incidents have been. More to the point, we don't know how many calls have been abandoned. East Kent NHS Trust said extra doctors and nurses would be working this weekend at all three of its A&E units - at William Harvey in Ashford, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate and Kent & Canterbury Hospital. Managers have drawn up contingency plans in case there is a surge of patients. These include providing extra beds and temporary wards. Norfolk and Norwich Hospital and Leeds Teaching Hospitals have hired extra nurses. Dr Taj Hassaan, vice president of the College of Emergency Medicine, who works at Leeds said: "We're worried that this is the first bank holiday following the launch of 111. At a time where 111 in parts of the country is fragile, we need to plan as well as we can. The concerns come as the Government is considering making GPs take back responsibility for out-of-hours treatment. A controversial contract negotiated under Labour in 2004 enabled them to opt-out of working evenings and weekends even though their salaries soared. NHS England, the new body running the health service which earlier this week announced an urgent review of the 111 helpline, said fines would be handed out to organisations responsible for "seriously poor performance." Dr Peter Carter, General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing said: "It has collapsed. What's happening is that because people are not able to get through they are giving up and self-referring to A&E. Waits of between 12 and 24 hours [in A&E] are now commonplace.