NHS Choices 

STAR RATING IS FOR THE FRONT-END STAFF AND QUALITY OF THE CARE PROVIDED IS AS INDICATED - PERFECT! HOWEVER, SENIOR MANAGEMENT GET ONE STAR - WHICH DENOTES VERY BAD!

Well, the Government never liked NHSDIRECT. Most patient's LIKED NHSDIRECT. Many GP's, Nurses, Commissioners DIDN'T like NHSDIRECT (poor management and expensive) and believe me MANY of their former staff and soon to be made redundant staff could not stand incompetent senior managers of the organisations who lied to their was through so-called reforms. More informed staff knew that closure would be the only outcome, despite the management assurances.

But on a more rosy front, the Chief Executive, Acting Chief Executive and the other £100,000 plus a year pen-pushers, have either received their massive NHS pay-offs and increased pensions AND offers to be employed elsewhere in the NHS - thus more wastage of public money.

NHSDIRECT management lost the plot many years ago and never supported their staff well and unfortunately contrary to what is what, provided a third-rate service to it's patient groups. The only people have / had integrity at NHSDIRECT were the nursing staff and call-handlers who were at the front-end trying their level best to maintain a sufficient standard of service that NHSDIRECT was being paid highly for out of the public purse.

In Sheffield alone, may staff had last-minute deductions from their wages before they had to leave, leaving some in despair. I personally was deducted a massive amount of cash, without sufficient notice being given and additionally am owed money from expense claims submitted and never paid and also notice payment. Very unfair, but then the management have never cared for their staff, having only punished and bullied many into submission. Many HR exit polls (that should be undertaken) on staff leaving often were not even conducted which would have evidenced their bad practices.

NHSDIRECT are soon to be totally out of the frame having apparently breached agreements to provide health services through the NHS111 service up and down the country.

Rest in peace NHSDIRECT, the good lower-grade staff and clinicians have been used and abused to the end. The wasteful and insincere middle and senior management were quite transparent for what they were- I trusted NOT ONE OF THEM!

The NHS Direct website is one the best things i've ever come across on the internet! I'm forever worrying about catching an illness and always reviewing the symptons via search engines and now i don't need too.

Its really helpful having the NHS Direct website because now i can just check if any of my children are coming down with something insted of booking a doctor's
appointment.

It's also really interesting to see what types of illnesses you could catch if your not careful. I think the NHS Direct website is a really good idea, i'm really
pleased that a website has been made for this, highly recommend this to anyone who's always a caucious carol like me! 10/10 !