NHS Direct is seeking cash incentives to ensure staff reach out to “people in deprived areas”, as part of their bid to become a foundation trust.
The idea was one of many pitched by its chief executive, Matt Tee, at the organisation’s first national stakeholder conference, held to get national input into its foundation trust application.
“We could be incentivised to help to deliver health benefits for people in deprived areas, or for taking calls from diabetics. We have got a good idea of where the most unhealthy people are living, and rather than waiting for them to come to us, should we not be going to them and offering them a free life check over the phone?,” he said.
The NHS Direct telephone service currently takes over 5m calls a year, currently delivered from 36 operating sites.
The information and advice service wants to make itself better tailored to what patients and citizens want, offering better engagement and integration with health services.
Giving an example, Tee said: “If we think they might have an issue with their diet or weight, we might refer them to a personal trainer. The idea is that patients can ring the number and through it get access to any service they need.”
NHS Direct is currently paid a flat rate per call they receive, and Tee said that NHS Direct could be a contact point for people with long term conditions, or a service that attempts to contact them, to ensure that they are getting the treatment they need – which could be overlooked in a ‘deprived area’.
He said he wants NHS Direct to be the ‘single point of access’ to healthcare in England, and suggested a memorable three digit number would encourage this.
An NHS Direct spokesperson told EHI: “NHS Direct is the first national organisation to apply for foundation trust status. So far, the only foundation trusts are hospitals and mental health services. Becoming a foundation trust would allow NHS Direct to work more closely with its users.
“The organisation is actively looking for people to play a vital role in developing its services and to help shape the future of NHS Direct. NHS Direct would like the views of its stakeholders on how it will operate as a foundation trust. The public consultation on NHS Direct’s application to become an NHS foundation trust closes on Monday 31 March 2008.”
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