05 Jan 2010
Performance statistics published by NHS Direct show that over 850,000 people accessed its telephone and online services over the festive period (19 December to 3 January 2010).
NHS Direct answered over 330,000 telephone calls in this period (319,000 calls were taken in the same period last year). NHS Direct also had over 520,000 online visits for advice and guidance including over 100,000 visits alone to its online Initial Assessment which was launched just before Christmas.
The online initial assessment is another way to contact NHS Direct and provides a quick and straightforward way for people to check their symptoms, with patients receiving the same advice online as they do over the telephone. Those who need further advice can ‘click’ to get a call back from an NHS Direct nurse advisor.
During the Christmas and New Year period, NHS Direct also handled over 7,300 Ambulance Category C (low priority) telephone calls for a number of Ambulance Services, helping ensure that the 999 lines remained available for high priority emergency calls. This was up from 2,400 calls for the same period last year.
The two busiest days on the telephone were Monday 28 December 2009 when the service answered over 30,700 calls, and Sunday 27 December 2009 when 29,700 calls were answered. The average daily call volume for NHS Direct for the previous month (November 2009) was 16,700 calls. The busiest day on the website was Sunday 3 January 2010 when there were over 42,000 visits.
During the Christmas and New Year period 60 per cent of all callers were given advice on how to treat their symptoms at home without the need to attend another part of the NHS.
“The staff at NHS Direct have had a busy and successful time over Christmas and the New Year, helping record numbers of people both over the web and the telephone. They have been able to provide advice for many patients meaning they have not had to access face-to-face health services over this period, reducing demand on Accident and Emergency departments and GP Surgeries.”
