116117, the European non-urgent medical assistance number

What is 116117?

116117 is the harmonised European number that provides access to non-urgent medical assistance and other low-intensity/low-priority local health services. It is a communication tool that is available to all citizens without any pre-registration requirements, but it cannot be called from a locked mobile phone as it is not an emergency number.

It is staffed by Italian-speaking and English-speaking operators.

116117 is a speed-dial number that does not require a prefix. Calls may be made from a landline or a mobile telephone, with no time limit and free of charge.
The organisational structure of the service in Italy may vary from region to region.

Where it operates

The number is currently available in the whole of the Lombardy, Piedmont and Tuscany regions, the Autonomous Province of Trento, the Sulcis Iglesiente local health authority area in Sardinia, District 1 Bassano del Grappa in the Veneto region, and in Rome and the Lazio region.

Authorisation has been granted for the Abruzzo, Basilicata, Emilia-Romagna and Liguria regions but it is not yet operational there.

Purpose

The number provides all citizens with an uninterrupted response service to all calls for non-urgent medical assistance within 24 hours. It also acts as a link with the out-of-hours and emergency assistance service.

Services offered

The number offers the following services:

• An operational response, including call forwarding, for:
  • non-urgent medical services and/or advice during the out-of-hours (continuity of care) service opening hours
  • identification and forwarding of requests for urgent medical assistance to 118 or 112
  • access to general practitioners / primary care paediatricians even if difficult to locate
  • non-urgent medical advice before the start and after the end of the out-of-hours service, including forwarding to 118, if necessary.
• Information; an operational response with call forwarding may also be provided:access to medical services for tourists
• Other services may be delivered by the Italian regional authorities as per the State-Regions Agreement of 24 November 2016.

Availability

The service is available 24/7.

Role of the Ministry of Health

The Ministry of Health coordinates and provides support for the regional authorities to roll out this service.

The regions may request, within a regional pro‏gramme, the activation of the 116117 service in accordance with the requirements laid down in the State-Regions Agreement of 24 November 2016.

The number was set up by the European Union, and Member States were asked to take the necessary steps to activate it through two Decisions.

Relevant legislation

• European Commission Decision No 116 of 15 February 2007
  Decision reserving the national numbering range beginning with 116 for harmonised numbers for harmonised services of social value – Published in OJ EC L 49/30 of 17 February 2007
• European Commission Decision No 884 of 30 November 2009
  Decision amending Decision 2007/116/EC as regards the introduction of additional reserved numbers beginning with 116 – Published in OJ EC L 317/46 of 3 December 2009
• Understanding between the State, the Regions and the Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano of 10 July 2014
  Understanding, within the meaning of Article 8(6) of Law No 131 of 5 June 2003, between the State, the Regions and the Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano regarding the new Health Pact for 2014-2016
• Decision No 8 of the Regulatory Authority for Communications of 13 January 2015 (Article 14(4) and (5) Annex A)
  Adoption of the new numbering plan in the telecommunications sector and implementing rules, amending and supplementing the numbering plan referred to in Decision No 52/12/cir
• Agreement between the State, the Regions and the Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano of 24 November 2016
  Agreement, pursuant to Article 5(12) of the Understanding of 10 July 2014 (Doc. Ref. No 82/CSR) ‘Health Pact 2014-2016’, between the State, the Regions and the Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano on the ‘Guidelines on the criteria and procedures for activation of the harmonised European number with social value 116117’
• Decree of the Minister of Health No 77 of 23 May 2022
  Regulation defining models and standards for the development of local care in the National Health Service.