NHS Direct
NHS Direct provides advice over the telephone and internet about various medical issues and conditions. If you contact NHS Direct by telephone it may be possible to speak to a nurse about your medical problem. NHS Direct can be contacted on 0845 4647, or via http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/
The following information is taken directly off the NHS Direct website and should be helpful to anyone considering calling NHS Direct for more information about an illness. The information is current as of December 2005, please check with the NHS Direct website for up to date information:
If you need advice about a health problem, you are asked if you are calling for yourself or on behalf of someone else and are required to explain:
- What the symptoms are, how they affect you/the person and when they began;
- What you/the person have tried already;
- Any drugs you/the person are already taking;
- Any existing medical conditions;
- Anything else you think is relevant.
If you are calling on behalf of someone else, that person needs to be in the same room as you so that the nurse can accurately assess their symptoms.
NHS Direct nurses will use their skills and experience, together with a comprehensive computer system, to advise you on the most appropriate course of action to take.
With the right advice and information, lots of non-serious health problems can be treated at home or following a visit to your local pharmacist. If the problem is more serious, you may need to see your doctor or go to hospital. Whatever the problem, the NHS Direct nurse will listen to the symptoms you describe and advise you what to do for the best. If your problem is very serious, they will connect you to the ambulance service.
NHS Direct staff can also provide information on a wide range of healthcare topics – from helping you to find out more about diagnosed conditions and treatments to giving details of local health services.
If you are calling from work, or somewhere with a switchboard, you may have to dial 0845 46 47 647.