PLEAS Task Force meeting 12 July 2006 NHS Direct: multi-channel approach to delivering health information & advice Kate Arnold, Head of Content NHS Direct

NHS Direct Multi-channel service

NHS Direct Online Launched million visits 2005/6 Encyclopaedia, self help guide, NHS services, hot topics, health tools Online Enquiry Service 46k enquiries 2005/6

Telephone Service Started series of pilots 1998, covers all of England 6.8 million calls in 2005/6 22 call centres staffed by nurse advisors, health information advisors and health advisors Provide health information and advice 24/7

NHS Direct Interactive ‘The biggest dedicated public service on digital TV’ Health information service in interactive area - text information, supported by images and video Launched on digital satellite 16 Dec 2004

NHS Direct Interactive

NHS Direct – internal collaboration issues Move from 22 separate services to one national service – standards and working practices Develop and extend multi-channel services – raising awareness, multi-channel strategy User expectations of different services – medicated telephone calls, self-service research on website or TV Technology – what we have access to, and what our users have access to

NHS Direct – external collaboration issues Established partnerships with various NHS organisations and government departments Building and developing partnerships with Primary Care and Acute Trusts Working with commercial organisations Learning from others in the field

Towards channels integration Diversion to self service channels – responsive messaging Integrated knowledge management systems Call back booking and in-bound information Social inclusion through choice of channels