§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if nurses operating on NHS Direct are able to give only pre-set answers to queries. [77604]
§ Ms BlearsNHS Direct nurse advisors use their experience and expertise alongside a computerised decision support system (algorithms), as part of the National Health Service clinical assessment system (CAS) to enable them to identify the nature of the call and assess the needs of the caller.
NHS Direct defines what it requires of its nurses through a set of competency statements. Nurses can be recruited from any specialty provided they meet these competencies, although they must have between three to five years post-qualification experience.
There is a need to maintain a balance between using CAS to support the clinical decision whilst allowing scope for professional judgement by the nurse.