Tuesday, January 02, 2007

 Stomach pain leads calls to NHS
The service received seven million calls last year


Stomach and jaw pain dominated calls to the NHS Direct, the health service's telephone helpline over Christmas, statistics show.

Vomiting, toothache and diarrhoea were also among the top 10 reasons for calling the helpline in England.

Last year as a whole, the service received around seven million calls.

Over the Christmas period, it took a quarter of a million calls, while the busiest day was 30 December, when there were nearly 35,000 calls.

NO DISRESPECT FOR THIS "HANDS OFF SERVICE" BUT WHEN I HAVE CALLED NHS DIRECT PREVIOUSLY FOR AN ISSUE WITH STOMACH PAINS WITH MY WIFE, I WAS ADVISED IT WAS A STOMACH BUG AND WILL BE GONE 
IN 24HRS, IT TURNED OUT THAT AFTER SHE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO HINCHINGBROOKE VIA AMBULANCE IN AGONY THAT SHE HAD A BURST OVARIAN CYST, SO THERE IS NO REAL ALTERNATIVE TO G.P'S & A&E AND IN THE ABSENCE OF LITTLE OR NO "OUT OF HOURS" ASSISTANCE WE ALL GO TO A&E