Health info site never looked better

The Department of Health's (DoH) NHS Direct service has been radically revamped with a new, properly interactive website and pilot project to provide information via digital TV.

The service, aimed at providing health information to citizens without them having to visit their GP, has been running for two years.

Now the service will be able to respond to individual queries for information particularly useful in searching for information on rare conditions.

The six month digital TV pilot will offer over 10,000 viewers in Hull and East Yorkshire information on first aid, health, healthcare and healthy living including a database of local GP surgeries, pharmacies, hospitals and local blood donation sessions. It will also carry the same health encyclopaedia as NHS Direct Online.

The DoH hopes to have a full dTV scheme up and running for the whole country by 2004.

The service is available at http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk.