NHS Direct embraces VoIP

The 24-hour information service from the National Health Service (NHS) has brought its 36 contact centres together on the same network using VoIP.

Cost savings and efficiency benefits are predicted due to the improved efficiency from united previously 'siloed' NHS facilities, while it is also hoped that response times to patient calls can be reduced.

"We wanted to improve the service we were offering, while benefiting from the cost savings that centralisation should bring," said Adrian Price, national ICT infrastructure manager at NHS Direct.

"We recognised that the only way to create the desired consistency and efficiencies was through virtualisation - joining up all call centres to create a united appearance - and the only way to do that was to deploy IP telephony across the country."

Calls to NHS Direct can now be re-routed from where it was received to any other call centre around the country, allowing for shorter waiting times for patients on hold.

And tax-payers money will be saved from lower internal phone bills, as all calls between sites will now be free over the IP telephony service.