Dr Shirley Large is the NHS DIRECT Consumer Research and Involvement Manager and has written this paper focusing on the way that people use and understand NHS Direct Online presence.
NHSDirect provides the main health advice and information service for the NHS for patients and the public. The NHS Direct telephone service has handled more than 25 million telephone calls since its inception as a pilot project six years ago, and the NHS Direct website www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk has received around 19 million visits since it was launched in December 1999. The NHS Directself-help guide will soon have been delivered to 18 million households in England as part of the Thomson Local directory, and NHSDirect Interactive, a digital satellite health information channel, is now available to some 7.5 million homes.
NHS Direct New Media is the directorate within NHS Direct with responsibility for provision of the digital health information platforms such as the website, NHS Direct Interactive (health information channel on digital television) the printed self-help guide and the Online Enquiry Service. The purpose of providing a range
of health information platforms is to ensure that information about health care, treatment, self-care and healthy lifestyles is accessible to a diverse population in respect of their health needs for information.The NHS Direct website had over 6 million visitors during 2003/4. The health information provision on the website includes:
1. A self-help guide to treating common health problems at home;
2. An encyclopaedia covering hundreds of health topics, with links to other quality assured health websites;
3. Information on the choice of treatments available for 60 different
conditions;
4. Frequently asked questions;
5. Hot topics on the latest health issues;
6. A searchable database of local health services e.g. GPs, dentists, pharmacies;
7. A contact us section of the website
8. An online email service for requesting health information (Online
Enquiry Service).
