A new helpline has cut referrals to social services in Gloucestershire by 14 per cent.

GUiDE, the county council's health, social care and disability information service, has been hailed a success since its launch in October 2001

It takes up to 1,000 inquiries from the public and professionals each month.

About 57 per cent of these are for support services or organisations, 15 per cent for information on health conditions or treatments and eight per cent for benefits information.

The information services offered by GUiDE is free and confidential, independent from health or social services.

It is based in the same Gloucester offices with CAREdirect and social services' HelpDesk.

In April 2002, the combined service was commended as a model of good practice by the Social Services Inspectorate in the Inspection of the Management and Use of Information in Social Care.

CAREdirect can be contacted on 0800 444000, HelpDesk on 01452 426868 and GUiDE on 01452 331131.