NHS Direct

NHS Direct - We're Here Whenever You Need Health Advice & Information

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• For members

  • Together - spring 2012

    • Care Quality Commission inspection

    • Time for a change

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  • Why become a member?

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• Services and solutions

  • What we offer

    • Remote clinician services

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      • About research, service evaluation and clinical audit

      • Research

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      • Contact the research, service evaluation and clinical audit team

    • Access your online e-Report

  • Our news

    • Position on NHS 111

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    • Clean bill of health from the Care Quality Commission

    • Countdown to the Olympics

    • Innovative telehealth pilot in Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes

    • International interest in remotely-delivered healthcare

    • News Direct archive

      • News Direct - 2012

        • January 2012

          • Online services invaluable during busy holiday period

          • Secretary of State launches North West NHS 111 pilot

          • Encouraging results on the patient benefits of telehealth

      • News Direct - 2011

        • November 2011

          • NHS Foundation Trust application update

          • Possible industrial action on 30 November 2011

          • Winter planning - it's all about preparation

          • NHS Direct receive an award for excellence

          • Online Patient Decision Aids launched at a national event

          • NHS Direct works in partnership to support COPD patients

          • Look out for NHS Direct at forthcoming conferences and events

        • September 2011

          • Rolling out the NHS 111 service

          • New video explains NHS Direct's role in 111

          • NHS Direct accredited to provide Pathways training

          • NHS Direct's new mobile app number one with patients

          • NHS Direct Annual Report and Accounts 2010/11

          • Look out for us at forthcoming conferences and events

        • July 2011

          • NHS Direct - the next five years

          • How stakeholders rate NHS Direct

          • Improving our performance

          • NHS Direct launch a free mobile app

          • Our work with Channel 4's Embarrassing Bodies: Live from the clinic

          • NHS Direct commissioned to deliver Healthy Change

          • New Chief Nurse/Clinical Director appointed

          • Come and see us at the NHS Confederation 2011

        • April 2011

          • Easter planning

          • Sharing our data to help PCTs and GP consortia plan urgent care services

          • NHS Direct to apply for Foundation Trust status

          • NHS Direct and NHS Alliance host seminar on Commissioning Urgent Care Services

          • NHS Direct engages with people via Twitter

          • West Midlands Quality Review Service finds NHS Direct meets all quality standards

        • March 2011

          • Symptom checkers improve services for patients

          • NHS Direct and GP appointment booking

          • Visitors view our service first hand

          • Outreach champions raise awareness in communities

        • January 2011

          • NHS Direct web services overtook the telephone service during the festive period

          • NHS Direct - the next 5 years

          • New online health and symptom checkers cover a wide range of symptoms

          • Look out for NHS Direct at forthcoming conferences and events

          • NHS Direct HQ - change of address

      • News Direct - 2010

        • December 2010

          • NHS Direct takes steps to address unexpectedly high demand for its telephone helpline

          • NHS Direct delivering NHS 111 in East Midlands and East of England

          • Exciting collaboration between NHS Direct and Diabetes UK takes their partnership to a new level

          • NHS Direct joins forces with PCTs to raise awareness and usage of its services this winter

          • More MPs come to see NHS Direct at work

        • November 2010

          • Sites being recruited to trial new Patient Decision Aids following successful pilot

          • NHS Direct to increase access to its online expert health advice

          • Ex-chairman of Boots joins NHS Direct board

          • Help your winter planning with HPA / NHS Direct syndromic surveillance bulletin

          • NHS Direct and NHS 111 - 3 new pilots

        • September 2010

          • NHS Direct and 111

          • The role of NHS Direct in NHS 111

          • MPs come to see NHS Direct at work

          • Look out for NHS Direct at upcoming conferences and events

        • August 2010

          • Chief Executive's letter to NHS Direct stakeholders

          • £213 million of efficiency savings generated for the NHS in 2009/10

          • PCTs can use NHS Direct’s data to improve use of urgent care services

          • Female sexual health checker launched

          • Patients supported by Cumbrian helpline run by NHS Direct

          • It may be summer but we’re winter planning at NHS Direct

          • NHS Direct’s contract to provide The Appointments Line is extended

        • June 2010

          • Eight NHS Trusts working with NHS Direct to pilot online Patient Decision Aids

          • NHS Direct working with Blackburn with Darwen PCT to pilot NHS Wellness

          • Medication safety project

          • NHS Direct’s response to BMA criticism at 2010 LMC Conference

          • Helping small businesses manage employee sickness

          • Our Annual General Meeting (AGM)

        • May 2010

          • NHS Chief Executive sees our work first hand

          • Strategic Framework and Business Plan 2010-11

          • NHS Direct adds value

          • Phone pilot in Kent and Medway

          • Major Incident Plan tested

          • Trialling NHS Pathways

          • NHS Confederation June 2010

        • April 2010

          • NHS Direct has a busy Easter weekend

          • NHS Direct performance statistics 2009-10

          • NHS Direct plans to make savings in 2010-11

          • Seasonal illness and health scares

          • How stakeholders rate NHS Direct

          • New Chief Operating Officer

        • March 2010

          • NHS Direct enhances web and digital services

          • NHS Direct working on 3DN pilots

          • NHS Direct helping dental patients in 2009

          • Three new innovation projects

          • New Regional Outreach Champions

          • Come and visit us in April and June

        • February 2010

          • 24-hour Health Information Advisors

          • Introducing Band 5 nurses to NHS Direct

          • National Pandemic Flu Service suspended

          • New non-executive directors

          • NHS Direct works on medication safety project

          • Nurses pilot home-working scheme

          • Positive feedback on West Yorkshire Urgent Care Services

        • January 2010

          • Increase in public awareness of NHS Direct

          • New appointments at NHS Direct

          • New healthcare number - 111

          • New online assessment tool

          • NHS Direct Business Plan for 2010-14

          • NHS Direct festive period statistics

          • NHS Direct working on non-urgent 999 calls

          • NHS Stressline launched

      • News Direct - 2009

        • November 2009

          • E-Health Insider award

          • New helpline for MSD Tredaptive

          • Nottingham City OwnHealth

          • Order promotional materials online

          • Supporting the QIPP agenda

          • Swine flu update

          • Winter planning

          • Excellent rating for NHS Direct

        • July 2009

          • Welcome from Chief Executive

          • Prime Minister visits NHS Direct

          • NHS Diabetes conference

          • Team wins Innovation award

          • NHS Direct achieves Global Standard

          • More online symptom checkers launched

          • Strategic Development Programme

        • March 2009

          • East of England Strategic Health Authority

          • Festive calls up 16%

          • Latest awareness figures

          • Latest promotional campaign

          • New Chief Executive Nick Chapman

          • New helpline to launch

          • New online symptom checkers

          • NHS Direct recruit pharmacists

          • West Yorkshire Urgent Care

          • Working to beat winter pressures

  • Contact your local team

    • East Midlands and East

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    • North East, North West, Yorkshire and Humber

    • South East and South central

    • West Midlands and South West

    • Long term conditions and patient choice

• Search results for

• News

  • Latest news

    • NHS Direct is a happy Appy winner

    • NHS Direct gets a clean bill of health from the Care Quality Commission

    • Nick Chapman, Chief Executive of NHS Direct, comments on NHS 111 rollout deadline

    • Dr Brian Gaffney, Medical Director for NHS Direct, comments on NHS Alliance discussion paper

    • NHS Direct's online health and symptom checkers more popular than ever over Christmas

    • Update on the Whole Systems Demonstrator Programme

  • News archive

    • News archive - 2011

      • Christmas health advice from NHS Direct

      • NHS Direct mobile app used 1 million times

      • Band 5 nurse opportunities with NHS Direct

      • Symptom checkers recognised for improving patient care

      • New online tools can help transform patients' lives

      • Reaction to media story: Three NHS Direct contact centres to close

      • NHS Direct provides online relief as advice for treating bites and stings soars

      • NHS Direct's AGM is coming to a screen near you

      • NHS Direct secures NHS Pathways training contract

      • NHS Direct Business Plan 2011-16

      • The NHS Direct app for iPhone has arrived

      • NHS Direct mobile app - for trusted health advice straight to your pocket

      • Use our online health and symptom checkers for help over Easter

      • NHS Direct's latest symptom checker in time for the hay fever season

      • NHS Direct confirms its intention to become a Foundation Trust

      • NHS Direct responds to reports about GP appointment booking

      • NHS Direct win e-Government award

      • Web service overtakes telephone service during festive period

    • News archive - 2010

      • NHS Direct's response to longer call back times

      • NHS Direct: A source of advice to patients over winter

      • New health and symptom checker for diarrhoea and vomiting

      • NHS Direct appoints a new Non-executive Director

      • Staff celebrate 10 years service with NHS Direct

      • Patient Decision Aids piloted

      • NHS Direct comments on the organisation’s future

      • NHS Direct comments on NHS 111

      • Student health advice

      • NHS Direct to develop homeworking for nurses

      • NHS Direct AGM to be live web streamed

      • NHS Direct summer health advice

      • NHS Direct pilots new approach to patients' treatment decisions

      • NHS Direct appoints its first Director of Public Health

      • NHS Direct appoints new Chief Operating Officer

      • NHS Direct announces plans to make savings of £20m

      • NHS Direct develops more online services

      • New Non-executive Directors join NHS Direct

      • Festive calls to NHS Direct up 16% on last year

      • Launch of NHS Stressline

    • News archive - 2009

      • NHS Direct appoint a new Chair

      • Online assessment to help ease winter pressures

      • NHS Direct’s preparedness for flu

      • Our response to urgent and emergency care report

      • NHS Direct delivers top class customer service

      • Nurse Awards 2009

      • NHS Direct nominated for customer service award

      • Overwhelming support for the NHS

      • Our comments on a new 3 digit number service

      • CCA Accreditation

      • New men’s sexual health symptom checker launched

      • Media Guardian Innovation Award

      • How to get the new EHIC (European Health Insurance Card)

      • Tackling hay fever

      • NHS Direct appoints new Chief Executive

      • NHS Direct launch new online contraception checker

    • News archive - 2008

      • Do I need a flu jab?

      • Vote of confidence in NHS Direct

      • Good score from HCC in annual health check

      • Our success in communication excellence awards

      • Joining forces with top health services

      • Easing the pressure on GP and A&E services

  • Press releases

    • Press releases 2011

    • Press releases 2010

    • Press releases 2009

    • Press releases 2008

    • Press releases 2007

    • Press releases 2006

    • Press releases 2005

  • Contact the press office

    • Use of NHS Direct logos, fonts and images

  • Facts and figures

    • Our services

  • Bank holiday advice

    • Beating the holiday rush

    • Using the health and symptom checkers

    • Dental problems

• Decision aids