Yes, we starting doing this as soon as NHS Direct was live in the area. I
can't see the point of duplicating a service that has been well funded by
the NHS.
It has saved a lot of medical and nursing time!
Ray McGlone
A&E Consultant
Lancaster
----- Original Message -----
From: <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2001 10:27 AM
Subject: NHS Direct
> We have recently had a problem with advice given over the phone from A&E,
which has become the subject of complaint. Although NHS Direct is not my
favourite part of the Empire, perhaps the time has come for A&E to stop
giving advice over the phone. We are seriously considering refusing to give
advice to callers who are not our patients already and refer all those calls
to NHSD as a protective piece of "defensive medicine". Have others already
gone down this line? It would save us much medical and nursing time; it
would be recorded so answering complaints would be easier; the advice given
should be consistent. Sounds attractive and maybe a plus for NHSD?
>
> Dr C C Scott, Southport AED
>
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