roaringmouse

Nurses are available on this helpline. They can advise if you need to see a doctor.

Beedubya

Shouldn't people be able to figure this out for themselves?

You know:

I'm quite sick I need to see a doctor.

or

I'm OK I'll take 2 paracetamol.............I don't need to see a doctor.

reeni

Sometimes when dealing with a child - it is good to get a second opinion. I have a very dramatic child, and sometimes i have a hard time seeing what is really happening and what to chalk up the drama. One xmas day when he was 2.5 years old, he started acting up with how the lights were too bright..ect ect. So at around 3 ish i called the help line and i told her about my son and his dramatic ways and i told her how he was behaving. She told me that I should get him to the A&E and at the very least get him checked. Could be meningitis. I did the "well what a way to spend xmas right?" in my head. But feeling that a professional told me to do this - I did. Because of that nurse giving me the push and confidence that i was doing the right thing...I have a dramatic 11 year old son. Because that xmas night he died on the table and it took 11 staff to bring him back. I used that helpline a few more times when he finally came home out of PICU and the hospital.

As Parents we are trained to think we are inconveniencing the staff of Gp's and afterhours clinics and emergency rooms, mostly by non caring medical staff, or grumpy secretaries. I am personally fond of that service, here in Ontario we have a similar one.

Reeni

roaringmouse

Yes you're right, everyone is a medical expert

When serious conditions start to manifest, they don't always seem like something serious (as given in the example above this post). When non-serious conditions manifest, they can sometimes appear to be more serious than they are.

It can also be difficult to see a doctor, if it's for example a Friday night and the emergency department is dealing with the effects of a Friday night - you don't want to bother them, unless you know it's necessary.

dunroving

I think NHS 24 is for when you can't easily get to see a doctor, which is a situation many unfortunate people find themselves in. It's not always as simple as "Do I need an aspirin or do I need a doctor?" Seeing a doctor can take hours of waiting, for example, and some people just can't (a) get there or (b) leave 5 kids at home while they are sitting in the doctor's waiting room.

windsong

I think it is an excellent idea. Here in the USA if it is after hours and you don't want to go to the emergency section of a hospital, you ask the pharmacist (chemist). They are not qualified nurses or doctors so the NHS is offering better assistance.