A Glimpse Into The Life of An NHS 111 Call Handler: Hold The Line Review

★★★★★

Set in an NHS 111 call centre, Hold The Line follows call handler Gary (Sam Macgregor). His job is to advise patients, passing them over to doctors and clinicians as necessary. When a call ends with Gary instructing the caller to give CPR to his dying father, his decisions are called into question by management, who are more concerned about reaching quotas and reducing waiting time targets rather than the health and wellbeing of their staff and patients.

The show really highlights the pressures that frontline workers are under. Just one small omission from Gary, which is at least partly due to the long hold time as he waits for an available clinician, prevents the sick man from getting appropriate help. It triggers a series of meetings between senior managers and the staff involved, where staff are questioned on the length of their bathroom breaks and accused of losing their passion for caring for others. It really highlights the toxic culture that has arisen in the NHS due to pressure, and makes you question if this is too much responsibility to put on the call handlers, who receive minimal training compared to doctors.

Gabi Chanova performs alongside Macgregor in a variety of roles and together, they put on a very polished performance. Both of them are brilliant actors. Macgregor looks completely panic stricken as he helps the son to deliver CPR, while Chanova slips between the roles of the patients, clinicians and management effortlessly. They add small touches of humour into the play, which is very appreciated considering the serious subject matter.

Although Gary is removed from calls temporarily, the phones keep ringing and eventually, he can no longer stand it and takes a call. On the other side is a patient in a mental health crisis. The atmosphere is palpable as Gary tries to talk him down. Just as it almost becomes too much to bear, the show breaks out into a Who Wants to be A Millionaire themed gameshow, complete with Gary wearing a Chris Tarrant-style wig. It’s slightly wacky, but perfectly illustrates that mental health assessments can feel like a test, where patients must give the “right” answers in order to get help.

It only really sinks in at the end of the play that Gary has both lost a patient and saved a life in the same day, something which is sadly a reality for lots of healthcare workers. A touching and powerful piece of theatre, Hold The Line highlights the cracks in our healthcare system, perfectly demonstrating the pressures on frontline workers as they try to treat patients in a system ruled by corporate bosses focused on targets rather than humanity.

Hold The Line will be performed at Pleasance Courtyard – Bunker Two until 25 August (not 18) as part of Edinburgh Fringe.

Words by Ellen Leslie

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