Friday, February 7, 2014

NHS Direct Numbers




Why Call the NHS Direct Number?

The NHS direct number connects you to the National Health Service in England. Whether for residents or visitors, this number is dialed by countless individuals seeking timely medical advice and health information. Professional medical advice is offered 24 hours a day and is free of charge. Patrons can even access the number and its services via web and mobile platforms. The NHS direct number is only available for residents and visitors in England. There are, however, similar services offered in Scotland and Wales. Sadly, Northern Ireland does not offer this service to its residents or the general public at large.

Some of the more common reasons to use the NHS direct number are:

·        Professional medical and health care advice
·        Self care and treatment advice via licensed physicians and nurses
·        More information about your symptoms and the best routes to take
·        Support for patients with long term medical ailments
·        Dental healthcare information – professional response system for public health anxiety issues or pandemics

NHS Direct Number Services and Collaboration

In addition to medical advice over the phone, NHS has partnered with several local health authorities in England. This includes Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), which NHS helps to deliver the best healthcare advice to residents and visitors. While some of these programs are nationwide, others are designed for regional and local purposes. No matter the scenario, services are implemented via local telephone help lines. There are even numbers in place for patients requiring pre or post operative assessments and advice. Care managers are appointed to offer callers the most current and precise medical information; such as long term care for diabetes, stress, cardiovascular disease, and other ailments.

NHS Direct Number Origins

The NHS direct number was established in 1998. At the time, the government felt a healthcare line would be instrumental in meeting patient needs and requirements. The number would also modernize the NHS, while offering the best medical advice and care from fully certified and licensed nurses. The NHS direct number would also be a convenient way for patients to access faster medical information on illnesses and health issues.

The NHS number was first implemented in three contact centers. This included Milton Keynes, Northumbria, and Lancashire in March 1998. While these sites were originally selected as pilots, they proved to be highly successful across the board. In fact, these centers successfully reached 1 million people, while receiving stellar reviews and feedback from users. The immense success led to new pilots being created across England. All centers, however, were centralized under one banner in 2000. This, of course, was the NHS Direct Telephone Service, which is still in existence today.

NHS currently facilitates over 1.5 million visitors to its website every month. The NHS direct number and its services continue to expand as well. In fact, it is deemed “the largest and most successful healthcare provider of its kind, anywhere in the world.” For more information on NHS and its services, please visit:



No comments:

Post a Comment