title: Examining the role of Scotland's telephone advice service (NHS 24) for managing health in the community: analysis of routinely collected NHS 24 data.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the type, duration and outcome of the symptoms and health problems Scotland's nurse-led telephone advice service (NHS 24) is contacted about and explore whether these vary by time of contact and patient characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of routinely collected NHS 24 data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Scotland, UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  Users of NHS 24 during 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  Proportion of the type, duration and outcome of the symptoms and health problems NHS 24 is contacted about.
  
  
  RESULTS
  82.6% of the calls were made out-of-hours and 17.4% in-hours. Abdominal problems accounted for the largest proportion of calls (12.2%) followed by dental (6.8%) and rash/skin problems (6.0%). There were differences in the type of problems presented in-hours and out-of-hours. Most problems (62.9%) had lasted <24 h before people contacted NHS 24. Out-of-hours calls tended to be for problems of shorter duration. Problems reported out-of-hours most commonly resulted in advice to visit an out-of-hours centre and in-hours advice to contact a general practitioner. Most of the service users were female and from more affluent areas. Use of the service declined with age in those over 35 years. The characteristics of users varied according to when NHS 24 was contacted. The number of calls made by an individual in the year ranged from 1 to 866, although most users (69.2%) made only one call. The type of problem presented varied by age and deprivation, but was broadly similar by gender, rural/urban status and geographic area. Call outcomes also varied by user characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to examine how the public uses NHS 24. It has identified the patterns of problems which the service must be equipped to deal with. It has also provided important information about who uses the service and when. This information will help future planning and development of the service.
authors: Division of Applied Health Sciences, Centre of Academic Primary Care, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
authors: Alison M
authors: AM
authors: Elliott
authors: Division of Applied Health Sciences, Centre of Academic Primary Care, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: McAteer
authors: Centre for Rural Health, The Centre for Health Science, Inverness, UK.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Heaney
authors: Division of Applied Health Sciences, Centre of Academic Primary Care, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
authors: Lewis D
authors: LD
authors: Ritchie
authors: Division of Applied Health Sciences, Centre of Academic Primary Care, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
authors: Philip C
authors: PC
authors: Hannaford
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D039602:After-Hours Care; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003153:Community Health Services; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012606:Scotland; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013689:Telephone; D013997:Time Factors; D014218:Triage; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: PRIMARY CARE; PUBLIC HEALTH