"NHS Direct is committed to delivering high quality services through modern, flexible and integrated channels. There is clear evidence that NHS Direct has established an impressive track record for customer satisfaction, but we are not complacent and we are continually looking for ways to improve the experiences of existing and future users. The Top 50 Programme is a fantastic opportunity to benchmark where we are in relation to other call centre companies. This process also complements our wider work of Achieving Clinical Excellence Programme and I am confident that the process will lead to real change and improvement."
- David Foord, Associate Director of Clinical Governance, NHS Direct
NHS Direct is a renowned specialist in delivering multi-channel clinical services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We handle a wide range of calls to our national helpline (0845 4647) involving:
- Clinical assessment to enable people to care for themselves at home or to find the right care from the rest of the NHS;
- Information on local health services and support organisations;
- Advice on maintaining a healthy lifestyle;
- Information about illnesses, conditions, tests, treatments and operations;
- Complex enquiries about medication e.g. interactions, overdosing, poisoning etc;
- Information in response to national and local health scares.
To ensure the NHS Direct telephone service is accessible as possible, we can provide callers with confidential interpreters in many languages and a textphone service is available for the deaf and hard of hearing (0845 606 4647).
In addition to the 0845 4647 telephone service, NHS Direct, also provides a range of additional services to PCTs and other health providers to help them deliver their service objectives. This includes:
- Providing call answering and clinical assessment for some GP out of hours services;
- Delivering call answering and dental nurse assessment for some dental out of hours services;
- Handling non urgent (or Category C 999) calls for some ambulance services;
- Providing telephone-based care management services for patients with long-term conditions;
- Running dedicated helplines in response to specific national and local needs e.g. health scares.
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
NHS DIRECT
