NHS Direct - the telephone helpline

[Staffy]

Couldn't agree more - have used NHS Direct about 3 -4 times since my son (now 17 months) was born, and always found them helpful.
However if you have any private cover (e.g. through yours/ hubbies work medical insurance) they often have a similar sort of service available 24 hours a day and will send you printed info too. Ours is with PPP healthcare (called Health at Hand) and you can phone at any time and speak to a Nurse, Pharmacist, Midwife.... It's a benefit people often don't realise they have!

What is the number for the PPP healthcare line? We have them and, as you said, didn't know we had that benefit! Doh!

I have used it a few times and each time the advice has been "use painkillers" and go to the doctor in the morning or something similar depending on who is ill! That's all they ever say. Why on earth can't they have proper out of hours doctors to come to your house like they used to?!

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Jj - the PPP healthcare no. for members access to their 24 helpline is 0800 003004 - have your membership card/ number to hand as they will ask for it before they put you through to the medical team...they're brill - when I was pregnant I was always phoning their midwife...

Thanks Staffy! I'm pregnant now and it'd be great to have a quick answer to some of my inane questions. PPP has been great for us so far, it's nice that they have this service, too.