I couldn't see the point of it....until I needed it (NHS Direct)

Member Name: dawnfrancis

Product:	NHS Direct
Date:	04/10/01 (206 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: very reassuring, free, peace of mind

Disadvantages: none

NHS Direct is a way of obtaining immediate and professional healthcare advice without having to visit a doctor or a hospital. Its original aim was to stop unnecessary visits to these places. People requiring advice can either use the website or phone up the helpline.

I must confess when I heard about the launch of NHS Direct I just couldn't see the point. After all, you know if you're ill don't you? So just go and see the doc. What's the point in having an intermediary? All they'll do anyway is advise you to see your doctor if they think you're bad enough. So why not just cut out the middle man and go straight there? On top of this, I was less than impressed by their website which allows you to 'diagnose' your symptoms through a flowchart, the advice in most cases being 'contact your doctor'!

I felt this way until last Saturday night when I found myself in deep gratitude to NHS Direct for the help and support they gave me.

All that day I'd had a minor twinge in my chest which slowly got more painful as the day went on. I put myself to bed early and thought it would pass during the night. But at 1.30am I awoke in sheer terror. I was completely paralysed by pain. Every breath was sheer agony and I felt invaded by this pain in my chest. It was like someone was stabbing me. Most frightening of all, I couldn't get off the bed. I was like a weak kitten.

eventually after much struggling I managed to get up, but I was about as competent as a baby. I was so frightened I just didn't know what to do. I was lightheaded because I couldn't breathe properly due to the pain. My thoughts were frozen. I live on my own, and you can appreciate how frightening it is to feel so ill with no-one to reassure you. I didn't want to ring for an ambulance because I wasn't sure I warranted one. I didn't want to ring my doctor because he can be an extremely unpleasant man a
t times when called out-of-hours, and I didn't feel I could cope with that on top of feeling so ill. I couldn't ring my relatives because i didn't want to worry them - my mom has a heart complaint and the phone going at 1.30am would not do her much good.

Feeling utterly vulnerable and half-crying I suddenly remembered NHS direct. I logged on to their website and followed the flowchart for chest pain, which suggested I rang a doctor. Then I decided to call them myself.

I got through immediately and was greeted by a 'receptionist' who very calmly took some basic details like my name and address. I was then transferred to a nurse who was wonderful. She asked me several questions and there was a kindness in her voice which meant a lot to me in those dead early morning hours, completely alone. She was very sympathetic and easy to talk to.

She told me there was a small chance I might have a blood clot on my lung, and because of that, she wanted me to ring my GP's out-of-hours service. She explained how it was better to be on the safe side and that she was not happy leaving me without having advised me to seek medical attention. Though I was very frightened, the way she explained it made sense and her compassion helped me to not be so afraid.

To cut a long story short, I did contact my out-of-hours service and was examined by a doctor. Thank goodness it was not a blood clot, but severe muscle strain caused by horse riding, which was treatable with strong painkillers.

Now you might argue (as I would have a few weeks ago) that NHS Direct just told me to do the obvious and therefore is a waste of money. Having received their help I would argue differently.

NHS Direct provides an invaluable go-between service. Many doctors, like mine, are loathe to come out of hours to their patients. I have seen locum doctors be downright rude and patronizing towards my mom when she has been very poorly
, because they did not think she was sick enough to warrant a call, and she's had to sit there justifying herself. And undoubtedly there ARE people who unnecessarily call out doctors. I'm not saying that all doctors are like this, but it can be very intimidating to deal with a disgruntled doc when you're feeling ill.

NHS Direct can effectively disentangle these two types of patients. The trained nurses can, through their careful questioning, deter patients from calling for unnecessary visits. And should you require a visit from the doctor, it is SO much easier to phone them and say 'NHS Direct has advised you to visit' rather than 'I feel poorly, would you come?' It gives you a backbone of strength, especially, if like me, you are not a very assertive person at the best of times. You do not feel like a hypochondriac because a professional medical person has told you to contact your doctor. And your doctor will find that hard to argue against. He/she too will probably feel far happier visiting someone referred by NHS Direct because he/she knows they are a 'genuine' case.

In addition NHS Direct offers invaluable emotional support that you wouldn't get elsewhere. If you rang for the call-out doctor, or for an ambulance, they wouldn't have the time to listen to you to any great extent. But the NHS Direct nurses DO have that time. That's what they're there for. I think it's wonderful that in the wee small hours, badly frightened and all alone, there was someone kind and sympathetic there for me on the other end of the phone.

It is a shame that the great service they provide can be spoilt by difficulties in seeing a doctor - in my case it took 2 1/2 hours for the doctor to arrive. However, if they think it is serious enough, NHS direct will even ring for an ambulance for you.

I would heartily recommend using NHS Direct and I sincerely hope it stays with us for a long t
ime. I am extremely grateful for the help I received from them and don't know what I would have done that night otherwise.

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