UNISON’s Head of Nursing, Gail Adams, said:
“NHS Direct is a ground-breaking success story that has taken pressure off the emergency services and provided much needed advice and support to people.
“Private call centres with unqualified staff can never replace this excellent service, that provides vital, immediate support such as during the swine flu outbreak that saw scores of people die.”
NHS Direct UNISON Official Michael Walker added:
“Not one Coalition party stated they would scrap NHS Direct in their manifesto. There is no mandate for cutting this service . If the government attack NHS Direct, what else is next? What other NHS cuts are they hiding? It is time for Cameron and Clegg to come clean about their real plans for our NHS.”
3,000 NHS dedicated specialist nurses and professionals are available on NHS Direct 24 hours a day.
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