A Worcestershire doctor has defended the NHS 111 service following criticism it is not "safe and effective".
The country's most senior paediatrician Professor Neena Modi said there was a question mark over whether 111 call handlers - who are not medically trained - should be carrying out assessments.
In an interview, Professor Modi said 111 had been brought in at huge cost without any proper evaluation of whether it was a safe service.
The professor said: "It is uncertain - because studies have not been adequately conducted - whether or not the telephone triage service such as NHS 111 is really going to be safe and effective for very small children. When you add in the lack of clinical expertise, it's going to be even more difficult. I feel really sorry for the call handlers because they are being placed in a position that really it's questionable that they should be placed in."
