News Release

Wednesday November 1st 2000

Action MultiMedia secures NHS Direct Contract

The UK Government's flagship direct health service (NHS Direct), whose aim is
to ensure healthcare information is easily accessible, has chosen Action MultiMedia to supply 153 interactive touchscreen kiosks and monitoring services. The strongly branded kiosks, known as NHS Direct Information Points will provide similar information to that found on the online NHS
Direct Web site ( www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk)

The million pound project was launched on 18^th October 2000 and will see NHS
Direct Information Points deployed throughout England. They will be
situated in pharmacies, supermarkets, Post Offices, holiday resorts,
shopping malls and more traditional NHS locations such as A & E departments
and NHS Direct Walk-in centres.

A number of the NHS Direct Information Points will feature telephone
handsets enabling the public to contact their local NHS Direct Call Centre
free of charge, for additional support and healthcare advice (Tel: 0845
4647).

This innovative service forms part of the UK Government's NHS Plan, aiming to
provide a convenient out-of-hours health service. All health information is
provided by NHS Direct, and so the public can be sure that the advice and
information they receive is accurate, up-to-date and reliable.

Gisela Stuart, the UK Health Minister with responsibility for NHS Direct, was
enthusiastic at the launch of the Information Points project.

"Patients are at the centre of the health service and we are therefore
determined that the NHS is developed for their convenience. The new NHS
Direct information points have twin aims: to give the public greater
information about how they can look after their own health and also to give
information about health services.

"We've placed them in key public locations such as supermarkets,
pharmacies, post offices and libraries because we want as many people as
possible to have easy access to up-to-date, clear and reliable health
information. We are also targeting universities, sixth form colleges and
popular holiday destinations, to make sure that when people are away from home they have quick and easy access to basic and reliable health information."

Action MultiMedia has provided kiosk hardware, consultancy,
pre-installation site surveys, remote monitoring and software updates, as
well as installation and maintenance services in conjunction with its
strategic partners Leisure Technique and Avery Berkel.

Notes to Editors

1. Media enquiries to Ann McLaughlin, Action MultiMedia, on 0151 650 6991, email: [email protected]
2. NHS Direct Information Points are currently located in parts of Essex, the West Midlands, East Midlands and Greater Manchester. 153 will be deployed throughout England by the end of 2000. It is planned to deploy 500 by 2004.