Up to 100 nurses and other professionals will staff a new 24-hour health helpline service for Keighley people from next Spring.

The government's NHS Direct initiative will operate across West Yorkshire and is aimed at helping people manage health problems at home or find out who can help them. In emergencies the staff will be able to despatch a 999 ambulance.

West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service NHS Trust is linking with the Health Information Service to provide the helpline for 2.1 million people. A new call centre will use the latest computer technology to ensure that advice is confidential, safe and consistent.

WYMAS, which will manage the scheme, one of 16 being piloted across Britain, is the busiest ambulance service outside London. It recently headed the national league tables for achievement against the Patients' Charter response time targets.

Trevor Molton, chief executive, says: "I believe NHS Direct is one of the most exciting initiatives to happen within the NHS. It will make immediate access to healthcare advice available to everyone and it is vital that an area such as West Yorkshire should benefit early on."

He says the helpline will be run in collaboration with local hospital trusts, GP co-operatives, councils and health authorities and will be integrated with other initiatives such as new Health Action Zones.

In a single month 4,000 people called NHS Direct in the first three pilot schemes.

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