A NEW number has been launched today to offer people health advice via their mobile phones.NHS Direct, which provides health advice 24-hours a day, already operates a telephone line, website and digital television service and now it is running a texting service too.
A NEW number has been launched today to offer people health advice via their mobile phones.
NHS Direct, which provides health advice 24-hours a day, already operates a telephone line, website and digital television service and now it is running a texting service too.
Anyone wishing to find their nearest GP, dentist, pharmacy, optician, walk-in centre, accident and emergency centre or hospital in England can text the name of the service required, followed by a postcode, to 61121.
A text message is sent back in reply, with details of the closest services to that postcode.
Ronnette Lucraft, commercial director of NHS Direct, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for NHS Direct as it enables people to access health information on the go.
“There are now more active mobile phone connections than UK residents and 84per cent of UK adults use a mobile phone regularly, so the service has a huge potential audience.”
Users are charged their standard rate for texts and NHS Direct covers the cost of the replies.
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