NHS Direct also has an email service that will respond to queries about specific health conditions, treatments or NHS services (NHS Direct, 2008). Many charities provide a service that allows clients to email healthcare questions to teams of specially trained nurses or information workers (for example, Breast Cancer Care, Cancerbackup and Asthma UK).

Along with this increase in internet usage, the popularity of email as a means of communication has also risen, and healthcare providers are beginning to experiment with its therapeutic potential. Many people choose to search the internet for health information the NHS, the voluntary sector and the private sector have all responded to this demand by creating a range of websites covering almost every aspect of health and disease. Nearly 15 million households in the UK have access to the internet - around 61% of the population (National Statistics, 2007). Use of the internet is becoming increasingly common in modern society. It also outlines practical advice for nurses when using email. It describes vital considerations for healthcare professionals when using email to communicate with patients, and discusses the advantages and disadvantages. This article outlines the growth of internet and email usage in relation to healthcare. This is an extended version of the article published in Nursing Times 104: 7, 29-30. (2008) Communicating with patients using email and the internet.

Using imail