NHS Direct to be closed

Well as long as this 111 service provides a simiiar role I don't see a problem.

To be honest, all of the times ive used nhs direct they've told me to go to the out of hours gp anyway.
 
Mad old tory said:
Well as long as this 111 service provides a simiiar role I don't see a problem.

To be honest, all of the times ive used nhs direct they've told me to go to the out of hours gp anyway.
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Exactly, 111 is a lot easier number to remember as well so you would think more people would know of that number and give it a call.
 
Jokester said:
What is it about 111 that makes it cheaper than NHS Direct?
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http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-st...phone-line-for-cheap-service-115875-22519925/

A spokesman said: "When NHS 111 is rolled out nationally, it will replace the NHS Direct 0845 4647 telephone number." The 111 service is cheaper to run because it is staffed by far fewer medics. More than 40% of NHS Direct workers are trained nurses but 111 callers will speak to non-specialist advisers who have completed a 60-hour course, not a degree. In the pilot scheme, there is only one nurse on duty at each of the two call centres taking 111 calls.
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Likewise, the news already reported earlier this week that 111 was being introduced in some areas with the intention to replace NHS Direct.

It makes a lot of sense, because the real issue seems to be that too many people are calling 999 for a non-emergency. With 111 an extremely easy to remember number, you can get a response and they are also able to escalate it to a 999 emergency if it warrants it.
 
vectisitch said:
well the tories did it last time they were in.and they will do the same thing this time.well done the ppl who voted for em.
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We should congratulate those voters. If it wasn't for a government with a sense of responsibility and financial awareness who knows what would have happened. Labour spend until they run out of money, then they borrow and spend again. You pay for it, as do I, but it's always the Tories who have to take the hard decisions and clean up the mess left behind.

As for NHS direct, can't say I've ever used it.
 
When you see that it only costs a little over £100million a year for the best part of 10million calls it doesn't seem to be that big a deal to me in the grand scheme of things. Just change it's number to 111 and be done with it.

If someone feels they're seriously ill enough to have to call someone then they should at least expect someone that has done a bit more than a week and half long course. Direct has often got stick for making bad judgments over the phone that have resulted in serious injury and death of patients, this only seems to make the risk of such a thing happening again.
 
Superewza said:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-st...phone-line-for-cheap-service-115875-22519925/
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I'd imagine a lot of people will criticize that....

But then it's probably unnecessary to have so many nurses on the end of a phone line, because ultimately I'd imagine that a lot of issues that people who phone NHS Direct about can be easily solved by looking on the internet, experience or general common sense. Although I've personally never phoned NHS, I would imagine that a huge volume of calls that are clearly not a minor ailment that will go naturally will probably be told to see their GP.

Anything simple, such as a case of diarrhea or a minor burn or scald, the flu, how to treat a pulled muscle etc could all be answered by somebody with training who isn't necessarily medically qualified. Hell, I know how to handle all of the above and could advise people what to do.

I think though that the fact that I've never called NHS Direct also shows that it's only people within certain situations and frames of mind that do. Half the point of it was to stop people clogging up hospitals & GP surgerys when they clearly have something minor that will go away on its own.
 
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