Angels of the NHS (NHS Direct)

Member Name: taylor72

Product:	NHS Direct
Date:	18/02/09 (84 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Can save lives

Disadvantages: None from my experience

If I can give this service 1000 stars I would because it saved my husbands life two years ao so I find it difficult to give it anything but praise.

Non Personal Stuff
This was originally set up for people as an advice service. I am reviewing it on the telephone based help you get but if you go to the online site you can get help and answers on all sorts of ailments from flu to contraception as well as being able to access a a self help part where you can attempt to self diagnose - heaven to any hypochondriacs I am sure!

Upon phoning them you are put through to a nurse who takes some information from you such as any medication you are on and an awful lot of seemingly unimportant information. This is then assessed and sometimes you are given advice there and then and other times you are called back after they have spoken to someone else I assume.

My Tale

My husband had had flu in November 2007, he never really got over it and two weeks later awoke with what he described as a "brain on fire". I managed to get him an emergency appointment with the GP and he shuffled off looking about 80 years of age instead of 33 in the hopes of getting something sorted. When he came back he said it was just a nasty viral infection and he just needed to rest for a few days . Maybe I am a bit cynical here but it seems all unexplained lurg is now fobbed off as a viral infection. A few hours later he was definately getting worse - running a very high temperature, not able to look at the light or move his neck and I became alarmed to say the least.

At this point I realise I should have called an ambulance but as someone who sufferes from bi-polar I am made by the medical GPs and hospitals to feel somewhat of an attention seeker / hypochondriach at times and so I phoned the GP for confirmation. on the plus side I was able to speak to the doctor imediately - most unusual - on the negative side the GP informed me the earlier diagnosis was correct before telling me about how I should be careful using services and not go to A & E for a virus. I came off the phone feeling a bit like a drama queen and decided to pull myself together and concentrate on "nursing" my poorly husband.

About one hour later I was feeling like I needed reassurance so called NHS direct. After answering some questions and explaining my husbands symptoms and what was going on for him there and then physically, I was adviced to get him to hospital immediately as they were concerned he may have meningitis. I called an ambulance imediately and thank goodness I did - he now looked grey, couldn't move his legs and really looked like he was dying.

The consequence is a lumber puncture revealed he had got meningitis and would have died without medical intervention sometime within the next 24 hours.

To me NHS direct, despite its criticisms, will always be a life saving service.

Thank you for listening and sorry about going onto a slight tangent!

Summary: Go with your gut instinct always