NHS Direct telephone line service could be terminated.

Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, has confirmed that the government is planning to scrap the NHS Direct telephone line service.  The change will not affect existing helpline services in Scotland and Wales. 

The new 1-1-1 helpline is already being piloted in the north-east of England. However critics claim the new service would undermine the quality of service already being offered with less qualified nurses answering calls.

Currently, NHS Direct employs more than 3,000 staff, of which 40% are trained nurses. The pilot 1-1-1 service currently has less nurses as a ratio, but no figures are available as yet to what the ratio of nurses working on the helpline will be when it rolls out nationally. 

In answer to the critics, Nick Chapman, Chief Executive of NHS Direct said, “the new helpline would be better and more cost effective than NHS Direct. More value for money doesn’t necessarily mean that something will be worse. It will be a more seamless service. The 1-1-1- helpline’s telephone number would also be easier for callers to remember than the current NHS Direct one”. 

Back in June, GPs urged the government to scrap the NHS Direct service claiming it was not cost effective. 

The government’s plan to scrap the service has led to outcry from the Labour party. Andy Burnham, shadow health secretary cited this as evidence of the government’s intention to “dismantle” the NHS. He said, “The health secretary’s statement will stun people across the NHS. It is yet more evidence that Andrew Lansley is on a vindictive mission to break up the NHS, ruthlessly dismantling services before alternatives are in place. The government had shown arrogance and acted in a cavalier way by choosing to scrap NHS Direct without consulting the public. The service saved the NHS £200m a year and played a key role in taking pressure off the health service. It’s been a proven success for a decade and simply to scrap it is no way to run the NHS”. 

On average 14,000 people daily call NHS Direct for medical advice costing £123m a year to run.

Former Labour health secretary Frank Dobson who helped establish NHS Direct in 1998, said, “The decision to replace the service was crackers and said the professionally staffed advice line would be replaced with a call centre”. 

Dr Peter Carter, chief executive and general secretary of The Royal College of Nursing, said, “reducing the number of specialist nurses who worked on the new helpline was short-sighted. We urge the government to consult fully and look at all the evidence before enacting changes which could leave people without expert advice from trained nurses”. 

Mr Chapman said, “Staff involved with the 1-1-1- helpline ‘pathfinder’ in north-east England were currently working with the local ambulance service to handle calls relating to health information or inquiries about medicines. The service would also be tested in the East Midlands and in the East of England, where helpline staff would also assist with nurse assessment, health information and referrals. When detailed plans are made to roll out the service nationally, we hope NHS Direct staff will be able to contribute their experience to the new service”. 

As the government continues to reform the NHS with its plans to scrap NHS Direct, the proposed

1-1-1helpline will see further scrutiny from its critics. With this and other reform changes being introduced by the government, it is essential that NHS Trusts have on board the doctors and medical staff who are able to meet these changes.  

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