NHS 24 provide confidential health advice and information to the people of Scotland, both online and over the phone. We launched the new NHS 24 website in 2007, 3 years after our involvement with the original in 2004. The aim of the project was to reduce the strain on hospitals and GP's out of normal hours. After extensive research and numerous focus groups we got to grips with what exactly the public expected from the site.
The site was designed to ensure that all online health queries can be resolved as quickly and as easily as possible. Depending on a user’s symptoms, treatment can be diagnosed by either a qualified nurse or by the site’s self-diagnosis tool. The interactive self help guide advises users about what action to take, such as visiting their local GP/calling 999, or if they can, managing their symptoms at home.
So far results have been impressive. Since launching the site has taken away the strain on the main NHS 24 telephone service, particularly at peak times. The current NHS 24 site is constantly updated, with the most recent health intelligence to ensure that information provided to users is as helpful and detailed as possible.
