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'Improve health hotline' - report Health hotline 'needs to improve'
(40 minutes later)
A health service hotline should be better integrated with the NHS in Wales, says an official report. A health service hotline needs to improve its integration with the NHS in Wales, an official report recommends.
The £9m-a-year NHS Direct Wales is a valuable service but needed to be more efficient and improve call handling according to the Wales Audit Office.The £9m-a-year NHS Direct Wales is a valuable service but needed to be more efficient and improve call handling according to the Wales Audit Office.
It also wants improved promotion to the public, especially in rural areas, while opposition politicians want it to be regarded as a core part of the NHS.It also wants improved promotion to the public, especially in rural areas, while opposition politicians want it to be regarded as a core part of the NHS.
The assembly government said they would consider the report's findings. The assembly government said it would consider the report's findings.
A leading Conservative assembly member said lessons needed to be learned for the service to reach its potential.A leading Conservative assembly member said lessons needed to be learned for the service to reach its potential.
NHS Direct Wales is a 24-hour health advice service used via the telephone or the internet.NHS Direct Wales is a 24-hour health advice service used via the telephone or the internet.
The service received more than 340,000 calls and 450,000 visits to its website in 2008/2009.The service received more than 340,000 calls and 450,000 visits to its website in 2008/2009.
It is designed to take pressure off frontline NHS staff and many have turned to it during the swine-flu outbreak. It is designed to take pressure off frontline NHS staff and many have used it during the swine-flu outbreak.
NHS Direct Wales helped a third of callers look after themselves without recourse to GPs or accident and emergency departments. NHS Direct Wales has helped a third of callers look after themselves without recourse to GPs or accident and emergency departments.
The Wales Audit Office report says costs are roughly comparable with England and provides a valuable service.The Wales Audit Office report says costs are roughly comparable with England and provides a valuable service.
'Realise potential''Realise potential'
But the report also said NHS Direct Wales could improve promotion of its service to the public, especially to older people and those in rural areas.But the report also said NHS Direct Wales could improve promotion of its service to the public, especially to older people and those in rural areas.
Call handling times could be improved and staff absence through sickness and turnover levels cut back.Call handling times could be improved and staff absence through sickness and turnover levels cut back.
And it said the service could be more seamlessly integrated with the rest of the NHS.And it said the service could be more seamlessly integrated with the rest of the NHS.
The report recommends:The report recommends:
  • Information on cost and performance should be given at national and local level.
  • Patients' behaviour and choices should be monitored.
  • NHS Direct Wales should take action to support more appropriate forms of unscheduled care.
  • The assembly government and local health boards should investigate ways NHS Direct Wales could help manage chronic conditions.
  • Information on cost and performance should be given at national and local level.
  • Patients' behaviour and choices should be monitored.
  • NHS Direct Wales should take action to support more appropriate forms of unscheduled care.
  • The assembly government and local health boards should investigate ways NHS Direct Wales could help manage chronic conditions.
Jonathan Morgan, AM, said lessons should be learnedJonathan Morgan, AM, said lessons should be learned
The Auditor General for Wales, Jeremy Colman, said: "While NHS Direct provides valuable services which most people seem to like, there is scope for it to be much more effectively integrated within the unscheduled care system, providing a more seamless service for the public.The Auditor General for Wales, Jeremy Colman, said: "While NHS Direct provides valuable services which most people seem to like, there is scope for it to be much more effectively integrated within the unscheduled care system, providing a more seamless service for the public.
"I hope the wider NHS will take on my recommendations in order to realise the potential of NHS Direct to help make the unscheduled care service easier for the public to use.""I hope the wider NHS will take on my recommendations in order to realise the potential of NHS Direct to help make the unscheduled care service easier for the public to use."
Chair of the assembly audit committee, Jonathan Morgan AM, said NHS Direct Wales should be recognised as central to the health service.Chair of the assembly audit committee, Jonathan Morgan AM, said NHS Direct Wales should be recognised as central to the health service.
But he said it was seen as something separate, rather than a core part of the unscheduled care system and its contribution was "poorly understood across the NHS".But he said it was seen as something separate, rather than a core part of the unscheduled care system and its contribution was "poorly understood across the NHS".
Welsh Liberal Democrat health spokesman Peter Black AM, said the report's findings worried him.Welsh Liberal Democrat health spokesman Peter Black AM, said the report's findings worried him.
"I have had concerns for some time at the way that NHS Direct Wales appears to operate independently of the rest of the health service and this report reinforces my views," he said."I have had concerns for some time at the way that NHS Direct Wales appears to operate independently of the rest of the health service and this report reinforces my views," he said.
An assembly government spokesperson said: "The Health Minister, Edwina Hart, has received a copy of the report and she will consider its findings and recommendations."An assembly government spokesperson said: "The Health Minister, Edwina Hart, has received a copy of the report and she will consider its findings and recommendations."