Flu line 'to get millions of calls'

Jul 23 2009

A new telephone service for victims of swine flu will be capable of answering more than a million calls a week, it has been announced.

The Government's National Flu Pandemic Service for England will be staffed by more than 1,500 call centre staff, with the option of recruiting 500 more.

The initial 1,500 will be capable of answering more than 200,000 calls a day - or more than a million calls a week.

The phone line is accompanied by an internet service where people answer a questionnaire to receive a diagnosis of swine flu. They will supply their name, address and date of birth either online or to a call centre member of staff before receiving a code.

This code can then be given to a "flu friend" who will collect the antiviral Tamiflu from a collection point on the patient's behalf, using a form of identification from the patient. More serious cases such as pregnant women, people with health conditions and very young children will still be referred to GPs.

The free phone number will be up and running for 15 hours a day initially but it could become a 24-hour service if required. Details of the website address and helpline number will be released later on Thursday.

Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson will also announce the latest number of deaths linked to the virus, with the death toll currently standing at 31. A jump is also expected in the number of people contacting their GP as well as a rise in the numbers being hospitalised for swine flu.

The new phone service goes live as a poll of health workers reveals that only around four out of 10 believed their organisation was managing to cope with the extra flow of patients.

In a survey of almost 1,500 NHS managers, nurses and doctors - carried out by the Health Service Journal and the Nursing Times - just 37% of clinicians, including doctors, nurses and midwives, agreed or strongly agreed with the statement that their organisation was coping well.

Another 30% neither agreed or disagreed while 13% disagreed and 5% strongly disagreed. However, many doctors and nurses said the Government had provided useful advice to help them cope with the pandemic and most would not stay away from work if other staff became ill.