An evaluation of the appropriateness of advice and healthcare contacts made following calls to NHS Direct Wales

Table 3 Callers' views about advice given during their call to NHSDW and rule based rating

	Survey 1		Survey 2
	n	%	n	%
*Appropriateness of advice*
Very appropriate	500	68.6	302	71.7
Quite appropriate	173	23.7	67	20.7
Not very appropriate	27	3.5	17	4.0
Not appropriate at all	29	3.7	15	3.6
Not answered	45		36
*Appropriateness of advice about timing*
About right	462	83.2	295	85.3
Problem was more urgent than NHSD said	15	2.7	7	2.0
Problem was less urgent than NHSD said	20	3.6	9	2.6
No advice given on timing	58	10.5	35	10.1
Not answered	219		111
*Helpfulness of advice*
Very helpful	495	69.1	297	71.6
Quite helpful	163	22.8	82	19.8
Not very helpful	39	5.5	22	5.3
Not helpful at all	19	2.7	14	3.4
Not answered	58		42
*How easy it was to follow advice*
Very easy	541	76.7	324	76.8
Quite easy	119	16.9	62	14.7
Quite difficult	32	4.5	16	3.8
Very difficult	13	1.8	20	4.7
Not answered	69		35
Total	774	100.0	457	100.0
*Rule based rating of health actions following call*
Necessary and sufficient	624	80.6	362	84.4
Unnecessary	132	17.1	47	11.0
Insufficient	11	1.4	14	3.3
Unclassifiable	7	0.9	6	1.4
Total	774	100.0	429*	100.0

*dental calls were excluded as shortages in provision in Wales at the time of survey 2 distorted the assessment of appropriateness of contacts made for these calls

ISSN: 1472-6963