NHS 24 Had ‘Call Centre Culture’

An NHS helpline suffered from a “call centre culture” where it was difficult to recruit staff, a review has heard. Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon made the call centre comparison during the annual review of the service.

Health chiefs admitted it had been a problem in the past, but insisted improvements were being made. NHS 24 was criticised last year in a fatal accident inquiry over the deaths of two people who received advice from the service.

Eileen Burns, nurse director at NHS 24, said she believed the organisation had previously been too focused on “operational targets”. But she said the issue had been recognised and efforts were now being concentrated on the outcomes delivered by the service.

Ms Burns added that moves to improve the service included making sure teams worked together more regularly and creating more local centres with locally recruited staff. She said call centre staff were now being given greater support from senior staff and workers would also be given the chance to use their position as a starting point for a career in the NHS.

The medical helpline previously came in for criticism over two patients who rang for advice, but later died. Shomi Miah, 17, from Aberdeen, died in 2004 of meningitis after being told over the phone by a nurse that she probably had the flu. The family has now launched a £200,000 legal action against the service, which is expected to go before the courts in about a year-and-a-half.

Steven Wiseman, 30, from Aberdeenshire, died of toxic shock in December 2004 after contacting the helpline. His partner is also suing the helpline for £700,000. A fatal accident inquiry into both deaths last year criticised the medical helpline for failing to identify the life-threatening conditions.