HSE to pilot service aimed at giving medical advice by phone

THOUSANDS of people with chronic illnesses will be able to get medical advice from a health professional over the phone thanks to a Health Service Executive pilot programme.

The HSE hopes to have the Chronic Disease Management Patient Support system up and running by the end of 2007.

The programme, which is to be piloted in two locations, Dublin North and Carlow/Kilkenny, will be nurse delivered and targeted at 20,000 people with diseases including chronic heart disease, respiratory disease, adult asthma and diabetes types one and two.