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Dept of Health

Answer

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who took the decision to locate the NHS Direct call centre which serves the Isle of Wight and Hampshire in Southampton; when the decision was taken; when the facility opened; how many full-time equivalent staff were employed there in each year since opening; what criteria were used in determining its location; what the cost of (a) the premises and (b) staffing is in the current financial year; whether the staff are directly employed by the national health service; how many are on each grade; what the cost was of furnishing and equipping the premises; and what other premises were considered. [185808] Ms Rosie Winterton: [holding answer 22 July 2004]: Due to an increase in call volumes and the success of the pilot NHS Direct service for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, the existing premises at Highcroft in Winchester, which had been the location of the initial call centre since March 1999, were considered to be unsuitable for the growth of the service. In February 2001, the NHS Direct management team within the Department, in consultation with external estates advisers and NHS Estates, decided to locate a new call centre at Berrywood Business Village, Hedge End. The selection criteria used for deciding the location of the new call centre included access by public and private transport and security for staff attending and leaving work. The new call centre was opened in September 2001. Other locations considered were Silver Hill in Winchester, Link 414 in Chandlers Ford, Easton Lane in Winchester and Belbins Business Park in Romsey. The cost of furnishing and equipping the premises was £1.6 million. Current accommodation costs and capital charges are £750,000 per year. There are currently 136 whole time equivalent (wte) staff employed by the NHS Direct special health authority at the call centre. 58 of the staff are nurses (G grade), 47 are health information advisers (administrative and clerical 5) and the rest are managers or support staff. Staffing costs for the current financial year are £4.53 million. Staff numbers in previous years were 125 (wte) in 2001-02, 140 (wte) in 2002-03 and 140 (wte) in 2003-04.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

424 c916W;424 c915-6W; 185808

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Costs Equipment Isle of Wight Location Staff Telephone services Southampton NHS Direct Hampshire

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk