MORE than 34,000 people across Greater Manchester have tapped into NHS Direct, the confidential 24-hour health helpline service, over the last six months.

Launched in April, the service - based at Ladybridge Hall, Bolton - serves the whole of Greater Manchester.

The service is manned by fully qualified nurses who provide a range of advice on all aspects of health care.

Since the lines were opened, the main reasons for calling have been abdominal pains, insect bites, bee stings, injuries to limbs, headaches and fever.

A large number of the calls, particularly over the summer months, have been from mothersn with particular queries about their children, ranging from fever, headaches, vomiting, rashes, abdominal pains and chicken pox.

General manager Joanne Royle, said: "We've been encouraged by the level of service over the initial months and trends are starting to emerge.

"For example our busiest hours of service tend to be between 10am and noon and early evenings after GP surgeries have closed, as well as bank holiday weekends."

NHS Direct is expecting a further surge of calls following its recent publicity drive.

In recent weeks more than a quarter of a million NHS Direct wallet-sized cards have been distributed to surgeries and hospitals, and posters have been issued across the region reminding patients about the service.

NHS Direct is available by phoning 0845-4647.

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