EmailThe Department of Health said it works by asking a series of questions to help assess symptoms. Depending on the information provided, patients may be advised about how they can treat themselves at home with over-the-counter medicines.
In more severe cases, NHS Direct may advise patients to seek further advice, and the health and symptom checker can direct them to the most appropriate health service.
In November the NHS Direct phone service received 17,700 calls from people about diarrhoea and vomiting, which is often linked to norovirus.
According to DoH statistics, this is the highest number of calls per month for these symptoms since March 2010.
Helen Young, chief nurse at NHS Direct, said: "It's not unusual to see an increase in the number of people contracting norovirus at this time of the year, and NHS Direct has vast experience of helping people manage the unpleasant symptoms.
"In most cases people can follow advice that allows them to treat their symptoms at home and this new health and symptom checker is a great way for patients to get the advice they need to help them get better as quickly as possible."
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