Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said today he has no plans to scrap health helpline NHS Direct – despite indications to the contrary in August.
Mr Lansley said he had “not announced plans to scrap NHS Direct”, just to phase out its telephone number.
However, last month the Department of Health confirmed that the phoneline would be scrapped, saying that many of the services it offered could be subsumed by the new 111 phone service for non-urgent needs.
The move sparked a major backlash, with medical professionals and politicians condemning the plans. Around 27,000 people contact NHS Direct every day for help.
More than 16,000 people have signed a petition to save NHS Direct, which provides health advice and information about out-of-hours GPs, walk-in centres, emergency dentists and 24-hour chemists.
Former health secretary, and Labour leadership candidate, Andy Burnham said today it was a “welcome climbdown”.
In a reply to Mr Burnham’s questions about NHS Direct’s future, Mr Lansley wrote: “I have not announced plans to scrap NHS Direct. I have announced plans to phase out the NHS Direct number.”
Later in the letter, he reiterates “we have not announced the closure of NHS Direct”, and adds: “I am aware that some people are claiming, incorrectly, that NHS Direct is to be shut down.”
Mr Burnham said: “Mr Lansley’s own department confirmed to the BBC that it was planning to scrap NHS Direct – he now says all he wants to change is the phone number.
“NHS Direct is a much-valued service that saves the NHS money. This is a welcome climbdown and great news for the staff who work for NHS Direct and all of us who rely on it. It’s an incredible victory for the campaign to save NHS Direct.
“I hope Mr Lansley will learn a hard lesson from this. Making casual off-the-cuff comments about services that people rely on is no way to run the NHS.”
The new 111 number is currently being trialled in the north east.