A long-awaited 24-hour NHS helpline will launch across North Wales next week.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) is among the last health board regions in the UK to get the 111 direct phone line for patients to discuss urgent but non-emergency medical problems.

The Welsh Government launched its roll out of the helpline in South Wales in 2018, however North Wales and some other parts of Wales are yet to have it up and running.

The helpline replaces NHS Direct Wales and GP out of hours services as the first port of call and enables patients to be connected to a nurse, emergency dentist, pharmacist, out of hours GP service or get a face-to-face appointment if required.

It can also give an arrival time for patients who need to go to A&E, which could reduce queuing within A&E departments.

The helpline will launch at midday on Tuesday, June 22.

BCUHB said: "The NHS 111 Wales service will launch in North Wales on Tuesday, June 22 at 12pm. This will replace the current NHS Direct Wales and GP Out of Hours numbers.

"Patients will be able to call 111 free of charge for urgent care including GP Out of Hours services and the health advice."

During the pandemic, the 111 service was made available in North Wales via the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust but it was restricted to patients showing coronavirus symptoms.

It was first piloted in Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea in 2016 and it was rolled out in 2018.

A recent YouGov survey found a third of people in North Wales now visit the NHS website rather than calling 999 for urgent medical assistance with ailments such as back pain, falls and breathing problems.

This is a marked change since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, with up to 60 per cent of those surveyed in the region also stating they are confident enough to find out information on the NHS Wales website rather than seeking advice over the phone or in person.

Meanwhile, 36 per cent of people in North Wales said checking for possible symptoms online would provide them with easily accessible important information to measure how serious their condition is.

In comparison, just 17 per cent prefer to go directly to their nearest A&E, MIU or out-of-hours GP service to wait for an appointment.