ON Saturday morning, August 3, I required urgent treatment from my dentist. On phoning the surgery I was told to ring NHS Direct as my dentist was closed.

This was my first encounter with NHS Direct and I hope it will be my last.

All I got was recorded voices telling me I would need this, that and the other information when I was put through to the adviser, e.g., who was my doctor etc, etc.

After waiting and waiting and listening to endless music I was informed by a recorded voice that the system at present was overloaded and to ring back!

Also I was informed the best time to contact NHS Direct is 9am on a Monday when it is a quiet time. But I wanted help there and then.

In the end I gave up and visited a chemist who helped me out until I could see my own dentist.

NHS Direct is one big joke, a stupid and potentially dangerous idea and was no use at all to me.

Any other readers had similar problems with NHS Direct?

H HAMER, Lowther Place, Blackburn.