N,HS Direct.

[Tarot]

Does anyone know if this service has been scrapped,?

[MsDulwich]

Hi Tarot,

Here is the news report from the 28th August 2010:

"The NHS Direct helpline, used by millions for instant medical advice, is to be scrapped in England and replaced with a cheaper option. The move comes despite the government promising to protect frontline services in the NHS, during the public spending cutbacks. The decision to replace the service with a new 1-1-1 helpline has provoked an angry reaction from the Labour Party. Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham claims it is part of a "vindictive mission to break up the NHS".

However the latest news report on the 9th September 2010 is as follows:

"There were never plans to scrap NHS Direct, according to Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, after he was accused of a climbdown on plans to get rid of the out-of-hours advice service. Twenty-seven thousand people contact NHS Direct every day, and campaigners had gathered tens of thousands of signatures on a petition calling for a rethink after the Health Secretary had appeared to announce the end of the service".

So it looks like it's here to stay ....

[Tarot]

Thanks Ms Dulwich, I asked because it didnt appear operational this morning,

[The Minkey]

You might have just had bad luck getting through. They were certainly still in operation last Wednesday when I had to use them.

[MsDulwich]

Yes it sounds like one-off bad luck

[Tarot]

Thanks i,ll give it ago later then.