NHS Direct helpline is to be scrapped
Aug 30 2010 by Nicola Juncar, The Journal
THE Government is to scrap medical helpline NHS Direct and replace it with a scheme being trialled in the North East - even though it has been in operation for less than a week.
Health chiefs running the scheme were shocked yesterday when the Department of Health said the new 111 non-emergency number – which was launched as a pilot in County Durham last Monday – would replace the existing service.
Ministers were last night facing a backlash over the plans, with the people running the 111 trial in the North East revealing they knew nothing about the moves.
The 111 number was launched in the North East last Monday by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley.
But Theresa Huddart, an assistant director with NHS County Durham and Darlington, yesterday said: “This is something I have not been made aware of and, as a senior manager, I am certain my colleagues have not been informed either.
“As far as we are concerned, we were just at the very early stages of the pilot and if that was successful here, it was going to be rolled out to two other pilot areas. The announcement that NHS Direct is to be scrapped and replaced by 111 is news to us.”
Mr Andrew Lansley made the announcement, apparently in error, during a hospital visit.
But the Department of Health yesterday released a statement confirming the news and said many of the services offered by NHS Direct “may be subsumed” by the 111 service.
Newcastle East MP Nick Brown criticised the Government for making the decision to scrap the medical helpline before the pilot for 111 had finished.
Mr Brown said: “This is a pilot that they have not yet had time to test and they themselves admit that it is a diminished service.
“The whole point of NHS Direct is to provide a modern service that saves the NHS money and it is foolish to say that scrapping that will lead to future savings.
“At the very least they should be basing their decision on evidence after trying out fully the 111 service instead of rushing into these cuts.”
