A PIONEERING service which gives patients health advice over the phone has been launched in Warrington.

NHS Direct is a helpline service where callers can receive advice on medical complaints from trained doctors and nurses.

Health bosses in Warrington have worked for the last two years to introduce the service in Warrington and callers had their worries answered for the first time on Monday.

Helen Jones, MP for Warrington North, welcoming the service said: "NHS Direct is proving to be a great success. Since its launch in 1998, it has handled three and a half million calls and has high levels of user satisfaction.

"The service enables patients to make the right choice about how to access the right service at the right time.

"It is safe, popular and increases the advice and information people want and need without increasing demands on other parts of the NHS.

"It is now available to people in Warrington and I am sure it will prove a very useful service here as it has elsewhere in the country."

For advice from NHS Direct, the number to call is 0845 46 47.