NHS Direct

andyrules

I rang them recently about my mum, they were helpful. Was really impressed with their approach and it was very reassuring to have a professional make the decision I didn't have the knowledge for.

I suppose as with everything, there is always the risk of less than satisfactory service depending on which centre you call.

lovemystudentloan

:mad: I must have eaten something dodgy a couple of weeks ago, I got up and threw up every 20 minutes for 3 hours like clockwork. I thought I was going to turn inside out with the spasms, it was awful. My hubby called NHS direct and a nurse called back, he told her I'd tried Andrews salts, water on it's own, everything we could think of but nothing would stay down. She said 'Hmm, as long as you keep drinking water, keep yourself hydrated.......' ????? We never could get it across to her i couldn't stop being sick long enough to stay hydrated, she just did not have a clue so he hung up. In the end all I needed was effervescent vitamin C, stopped me throwing up like pure magic:D

DrFluffy

Hmm - the only time I have used NHS direct, a nice telephonist called me, followed by a really nice nurse.

Took her advice, but ended up as an emergency admission! These nurses follow protocols and flow diagrams... They are not qualified, on the whole, to cope witht he 5-10% of calls that do not fit the patterns and flow charts to which they work...

Wonder how many people NHS direct has killed?

laurajayne

I've used them a few times.... (had rather a pants year healthwise!)

Once they sent an ambulance on blue lights, as I could bearly breathe...I ended up admitted with plurasy.

The last time I used them was in September, bloke took my call, and said a nurse would call me back (I'd already been to my GP, who'd said I had a pionidal sinus, and had prescribed antibiotics to try and see if we could avoid surgery, but I was in agony, beside myself with the pain), nurse called me back and said that they'd get ThamesDoc to call me...who called me and told me to drive myself to hospital. Yeah, ok....how exactly!?

In the end, poor old Dad took me, and I crawled into A&E at 1am (god, should have gone earlier...would have got another £15 off HSA lol) and had emergency surgery the next day.

On the upside....got told yesterday that I can finally have a bath

kenshaz

Never ring in an emergency,if in doubt dial 999,because they ask pointless questions ie .because they are following an idiots chart,then they call you back quicker to do a search on google.My grand-daughter got stung by a bee on her tongue ,12months old,I needed instant advice,not a series of irrelevant questions.My dilemma was ,if I call 999,10mins for paramedics to arrive or speak to NHS DIRECT for immediate advice ,which turned out to be a waste of time just answering daft questions .I ended up removing the sting with a pair of tweezers ,fortunately the tongue did not swell and no allergic reaction,no thanks to NHS direct.I forgot then we gave her a liquid childrens Piriton.

pookienoodle

I used nhs direct twice once when my son was a few days old resulted in the paramedics arriving 15 mins later.
2nd time when my son was a few months older, they put my mind at rest and where an absolute godsend.

kenshaz

pookienoodle wrote:

I used nhs direct twice once when my son was a few days old resulted in the paramedics arriving 15 mins later.
2nd time when my son was a few months older, they put my mind at rest and where an absolute godsend.[/quote


If you had rung 999,They could have been there in 5 minutes,time can be wasted ringing NHS direct,use your gut feelings ,you know yourself and your children and partner better than they do,if in doubt get the paramedics out,never ever ever be influenced or worried by government propaganda to reduce calls to their 999 centres ,they triage the calls any-way.

DrFluffy

kenshaz wrote:

If you had rung 999,They could have been there in 5 minutes,time can be wasted ringing NHS direct,use your gut feelings ,you know yourself and your children and partner better than they do,if in doubt get the paramedics out,never ever ever be influenced or worried by government propaganda to reduce calls to their 999 centres ,they triage the calls any-way.

Couldn't agree more. I especially like the current British Heart Foundation's advert campaign for chest pain, which points out that the worst thing that could happen really isn't a wasted 999 call...

pookienoodle

sorry i did not make myself clear .when i phoned up about my newborn son i was only slightly concerned as we had only been discharged from the maternity ward that morning (48 hrs after a c section) the hospital had said him bringing up a lot of mucus was normal, also that his high temperature was due to the v hot weather(end of june and 36 degrees outside) when i phoned nhs direct just to be on the safe side they went through all the questions and sent the paramedics.
we were re admited into hospital. (both of us should not have been discharged in the first place)
I would always phone 999 in an emergency but nhs direct was v useful.
the second time my dh gave my son too much calpol (5ml too much)
apparently this is very common and nothing to worry about as a one off.
Also i don't know where you live but there is no way the paramedics would have been with me within 5 mins.my father waited 45 mins whilst having his second heart attack.

kenshaz

We live about 3 mins drive from the Ambulance station ,but that is no guarantee because the paramedics might be mobile.I fully support your actions,you did what was right for your family ,45 mins for your Dad was appalling.