NHS Direct Launch Text Message Service

Mon, 18 Feb 2008

Dental patients can now receive details of local health services, including the location of nearby dentists, thanks to a new text messaging service launched by NHS Direct .

Patients who send a text message to 61121 (charged at standard rates), with the name of the service required and a postcode, will receive a text back with information about the closest services to that address.

The text back includes the name and telephone number of the dental surgery, along with its distance in miles from the provided postcode .

If the provided surgeries are not at suitable locations, patients can simply send a reply saying ‘more', which will provide them with three more surgery options.

Ronnette Lucraft, commercial director of NHS Direct, said the service "enables people to access health information on the go".

"To start with, we're launching the service as a pilot through our Freeview digital TV service, available on channel 108, to test the technology and gauge usage before promoting it to a wider audience."

Lucraft added: "There are now more active mobile phone connections than UK residents and 84 per cent of UK adults use a mobile phone regularly, so the service has a huge potential audience."

"Significantly, mobile phones are now used by all sections of society, and there is evidence that mobile phone usage is higher amongst hard to reach social groups."

The NHS is planning on further mobile developments, including health alerts and the option for patients to leave feedback.
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