Background

NHS 24 was established as a Special Health Board on 6 April 2001. The regional contact centre rollout began the following year, with Aberdeen the first to launch in May 2002, followed by Clydebank later that year and South Queensferry in 2003.

Since the outset, we have delivered telephone and online services providing people across Scotland with access to health care information and advice.

In partnership with local health services, we provide essential services to patients in need of urgent clinical advice when their GP practice is closed.

Patients can call upon a pool of specialist clinical expertise, including nurses, call handlers, dental nurses, pharmacists, mental health nurse advisors, health information advisors and special phoneline advisors within Breathing Space.

NHS 24 is an integral part of NHSScotland, providing a number of valuable services and demand for both telephone and online services is growing year on year. Our Annual Review reflects this growth and our success in meeting government-set targets.

In 2005, we began the rollout of local contact centres, which now operate in nine areas: Glasgow, Inverness, Dundee, East Kilbride, Kilmarnock, Falkirk, Dumfries & Galloway, Glenrothes and Melrose.

We continue to strive to improve our service and our strategic framework provides the framework for how we progress.

reviewed 22 April 2010