A NURSE who has become one of the first operators of a telephone medical service today spoke of her desire to help people in need.

NHS Direct, the free, confidential advice hotline has begun taking its first calls from East Lancashire patients after the local service was launched yesterday.

But Darwen nurse Pauline Hodgson is already used to dealing with worried patients.

Pauline, who has been a nurse for 25 years, has gained plenty of experience in busy accident and emergency departments, and taking calls at the out-of-hours GP service in Blackburn.

She's been working for the Greater Manchester branch of NHS Direct for a year at a call centre in Chorley, and is now answering East Lancashire calls from the Lancashire Ambulance Service Headquarters, Broughton.

At yesterday's launch, she said: "I enjoy having a one-to-one with patients and helping them make their own decisions.

"Nurses in casualty departments have always taken calls from patients and given advice, but in a more haphazard way because there's always 101 other things happening.

"At NHS Direct we can spend more time with a caller and give a full assessment."

Pauline, of Avondale Road, Darwen, is looking forward to working in East Lancashire again when the service moves into its new home at the primary care centre, Queen's Park Hospital, Blackburn.

She said the service eased the burden on overloaded doctors and casualty departments by giving patients advice about how to treat themselves.

She said: "Sometimes, we can reassure people that they don't need immediate treatment."

The NHS Direct hotline is 0845 46 47.