A health watchdog has voiced concern at the lack of publicity for Scotland's new call service NHS 24.

Despite the pilot service being launched in Aberdeen three months ago, Grampian Local Health Council said there has been little feedback.

It also raised concern that patients were not being kept informed.

The NHS 24 centre opened in May with the aim of reducing pressure on GP out-of-hours services and hospital accident and emergency departments.

This should be a service that is beginning to really take hold and be used by everyone in Grampian

Maggie Emslie Grampian Local Health Council

At the time the British Medical Association (BMA) gave the new service a cautious welcome.

The BMA said it had potential but required careful evaluation.

The centre employs 85 nurses and about 40 other staff in Aberdeen who offer round-the-clock advice to callers from the area.

The Scottish Executive plans to roll out the service to other areas of Scotland over the next two years.

Maretta Regan: Trying to ensure a clear message

But the health council believes its launch has been too low key.

NHS 24 said it was currently in partnership with the out of hours GP service G-DOCS - and working with bodies for the official launch of NHS 24 in Grampian next month.

Maggie Emslie, of Grampian Local Health Council, said she believes the service should have made a greater impact.

"I know that they needed to take some time to get the service up and running," she said.

"But it's now two or three months down the line and I think expectations would be that this should be a service that is beginning to really take hold and be used by everyone in Grampian.

"I don't really think that is the case."

NHS 24 said it was bedding in well and has been anxious to avoid confusing the public about the new service.

'Clear understanding'

Maretta Regan, from NHS 24, said: "I think it's important that we build this message over time. We're doing that over the next few weeks and we have been doing that over the past few months as well.

"What we don't want to do is cause chaos. We want people to be able to understand what NHS 24 is.

"We want them also to have a clear understanding of what services it has to offer."

G-DOCS medical director Martin Pucci told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme that the take-up could be gradual.

"We have had no conversations with Grampian Health Council about this," Mr Pucci said.

"The thing is there was a fair amount of pre-launch publicity done.

Managers say the service is off to a good start

"The other thing we must remember is that patients have a lot of other things on their minds.

"It may be that it hasn't permeated yet but I am not so sure that it is a lack of publicity, it may be because people have other things to think about and due to changes in the NHS."

The public may be finding it difficult to "assimilate all the information" now available to them, he added.

"As long as people who really do need medical advice can get it quickly and safely then I think that is the most important thing."

The executive unveiled its plans last year to offer the public greater contact with trained nurses and doctors.

The then Health Minister Susan Deacon described it as "one of the most significant and radical developments in the recent history of the NHS".