title: NHS Direct: virtually engaged.
abstract: In the five years since its launch in March 1998, NHS Direct in England and Wales has established itself as the world's largest provider of telephone healthcare advice. NHS Direct now handles over half a million telephone calls and NHS Direct Online half a million on-line transactions every month. Consistently 30-40% of calls to the telephone service are about children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Medicine, Birmingham Children's Hospital, Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham B4 6NH, UK. neil.mclellan@bch.nhs.uk
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: McLellan
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006292:Health Priorities; D015277:Hotlines / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D019114:Remote Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006113:United Kingdom