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10DowningSt Petition Aginst Ripoff 0844 Doctors Surgery Numbers


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Old 14-08-2007, 09:15
parliamentarian
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Dear All,

This post is about a matter that may be dear to the hearts of many phone call money savers. Namely the fact that an increasing number of you will have found that the number for making an appointment to see your doctor at your local doctor's surgery has been changed over the last year or two from a normal local rate number starting 01 or 02 to a covert premium rate number beginning 0844.

This has happened where the doctor in question or their Practice Manager has been conned in to signing a contract with a company called NEG for a product called Surgeryline where they get a free new switchboard and are told that it handles their calls more efficiently but the reality is that instead of getting the old engaged tone if your doctor's receptionist was busy when you call you now get put in to an automated queue system on the non standard priced 0844 number. These numbers are excluded from fixed price call plans like BT Option 3 and similar plans from other companies and calling the number from a mobile may cost up to 40p per minute compared to coming out of your bundled minutes if your doctor still used an 01 or 02 number.

It seems totally wrong that doctors should be able to drive up the costs of contacting them by the sick and elderly in this way, especially when an 0844 number costs 13p per minute from a BT Payphone compared to only 1p per minute for an 01/02 number from the same BT Payphone.

There is now a way to protest against this total ripoff by signing the petition that has been started against these 0844 NEG doctors surgery numbers on the Prime Minister's 10 Downing Street website.

The link for this is below and I hope that all of you who agree that this is a ripoff will go and sign the petition.

It can be found at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/NGN-use-by-GPs/?showall=1

Go and sign it now before you forget.
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Old 14-08-2007, 09:40
qpw3141
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Done.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention.
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Old 14-08-2007, 13:48
parliamentarian
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Done.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention.
Thanks qpw.
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Old 21-08-2007, 19:19
poppasmurf
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I've signed, and emailed my Doctor's practice for an assurance that they don't plan to go down this road.

Thanks for the info.
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Old 21-08-2007, 19:38
Heinz
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I've tried to encourage Martin Lewis of moneysavingexpert.com fame to get involved too.

He'd be a real shot in the arm for the campaign.

I wonder whether he will?
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Old 22-08-2007, 12:07
poppasmurf
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I received this prompt reply from my Doctor this morning. Also has some excellent news about booking appointments on line, and so scrapping phone calls altogether.


Thank you for you email. I can reassure you that we have no intention of moving to the NEG telephone solution or of changing the existing phone number for the surgery. We have recently purchased a new phone system which gives us the ability to handle calls more efficiently and I am also trialling a web based system for booking appointments and requesting repeat prescriptions. This would mean that those with internet connections can book out of hours if they wish and this should enable us to answer calls more quickly during working hours. I hope this answers your concerns but if you have any further questions please feel free to email me directly.



Let's hope many more Surgeries see this and get the message.
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Old 22-08-2007, 13:27
Heinz
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For what it's worth, below is what I've just sent to my surgery (which still uses 01 numbers).
It has come to my attention that some telephone equipment suppliers and 'service providers' (one of which is Essex-based) continue to attempt to persuade GPs' surgeries to change from the use of 01 and 02 geographic telephone numbers to non-geographic 0844 numbers.

Apparently, the sales technique is to offer the practice incentives of a free switchboard and associated equipment and a proportion of the excessive 5p per minute call charges which result when non-geographical 0844 numbers replace existing 01 or 02 geographic numbers.

Apart from the fact that such systems require patients to remember an eleven-digit number as opposed to a 6 digit local number, 0844 numbers are 'revenue-sharing' and generate an income for the surgery and/or the telephone service provider and result in call-queuing - at the expense of patients!

The firms attempt to justify the unnecessary queuing which results when these systems are installed by saying that it is more efficient because callers never receive the engaged tone! They cannot, of course, explain how patients entering an electronic wilderness to wait, whilst paying 5p per minute to do so, is more efficient than the patient pressing the last number redial button to try again, as he/she would do now. When only one or two people are available answer calls anyway, it is only more efficient at making patients pay yet another stealth tax for the dubious privilege of listening to ‘press this’, ‘press that’ menu options and/or ‘musak’ whilst waiting.

Equally worryingly, it is not possible to make calls to UK 08xx numbers from most overseas counties and, therefore, the patient or an overseas hospital would not be able to contact the surgery for information in case of emergency.

Many people have 'inclusive' telephone call packages these days whereby all calls to UK 01 or 02 numbers are, in effect, free at all times. At 5p per minute and with queuing times artificially lengthened, calls from patients attempting just to make an appointment or enquire about a test result, now regularly cost in excess of 50p.

Of course, the introduction of these numbers additionally penalises the poor and elderly and others who do not have access to a home phone (calls to 0844 numbers from telephone boxes cost a minimum of 40p and are charged at 14p per minute and mobile phones companies charge up to 40p per minute - not the 'headline' price of 5p).

You will probably be aware that a petition against the use of these numbers by GPs’ surgeries has been started on the Downing Street website and has already attracted a considerable number of signatures.

I trust the surgery has not been and will not be duped by what I regard as reprehensible sales techniques and that we in this village and the surrounding area may continue to make use of the excellent services provided by the doctors and staff at the surgery via 01xxx XXXXXXand 01xxx XXXXXX for many years to come.

Kind regards.
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Old 22-08-2007, 22:07
poppasmurf
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I'd like to urge everyone who reads this to email their Surgery with a copy of Heinz's missive, and hope the message gets across.

It's worth a try. Maybe the press will then pick up about the campaign and give it some extra publicity - together with info about what the phone companies are trying to get away with.
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Old 22-08-2007, 23:30
ClarkF1
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You're lucky, my surgery used to be an 0870 number (national rate) until there was an uproar and the NHS banned it. It switched to the 0844 one instead.

If I need an appointment, I just walk down to the surgery. They give people priority over phone calls.
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Old 23-08-2007, 09:59
qpw3141
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You're lucky, my surgery used to be an 0870 number (national rate) until there was an uproar and the NHS banned it. It switched to the 0844 one instead.

If I need an appointment, I just walk down to the surgery. They give people priority over phone calls.
Good luck if you break your leg!

But, seriously, I do exactly the same. It's weird that I'm quite happy to pick up the phone and speak to someone in Austrailia or India for an hour but I will not call an 084? number unless there is absolutely no atlernative.
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Old 23-08-2007, 10:36
Brilad
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This is terrible, I had never heard of this until now.

Seems like there are ever more ways to rip off vulnerable people in this country.
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Old 23-08-2007, 17:13
tomvoxx
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Petition signed. I actually saw my doctor today and asked him about it. He says he knows of the scheme, thinks it's a con and knows that the practice manager won't have anything to do with it. Result!
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Old 28-08-2007, 22:25
Heinz
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I have to admit I didn't expect a reply at all, let alone one quite like the below!
Thank you for your comments received via our website regarding surgery telephone systems.

When we moved premises in July 2005, the practice purchased a new telephone system which I have to say we are very pleased with. It does have the ability to 'queue' patients but as yet we have not utilised this facility. I cannot say however that we will never use this part of the system, because we do have patients who tell us that they would prefer to queue rather than dial again, but I feel that the real emphasis of your comments is about the premium rate telephone numbers that some practices have employed.

As I am sure you can imagine, I get lots of sales calls from companies, who would love us to implement one of these 0844 numbers but I do not feel that this is the right way to go for either the Practice or our patients and therefore am very happy to stick to the existing arrangements. Again I cannot categorically state that this will never happen as one cannot predict the future, i.e. Government legislation, if I am still the Practice Manager etc, but certainly at this moment in time, I have no intention whatsoever of changing the practice telephone number to a premium rate line.

I trust that this allays your fears and thank you once again for your comments.

Yours sincerely

Practice Manager
I can't dispute the part I have bolded above - I can only assume that, unlike me, such people don't have to watch their expenditure (or they call from work so they don't care).
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Old 03-09-2007, 14:13
qpw3141
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I have to admit I didn't expect a reply at all, let alone one quite like the below!I can't dispute the part I have bolded above - I can only assume that, unlike me, such people don't have to watch their expenditure (or they call from work so they don't care).
If the number is a geographic number I'm quite happy to be queued as I'll just pay 5p on Call1899.

It's only when there is queuing on a premium rate number that it's offensive.
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Old 14-12-2007, 09:59
PearsonT
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After reading the comments and complaints I thought I would add my prosective.
I have been a telecoms consultant dealing with Doctors surgeries, PCT's and alike for over 10 years.
Most practice managers and PCt's are not aware that they don't have to use 0844 numbers to get the services they need to offer a better service to patients.
All the call queing, auto attendant, and other usefull services can be added to the existing 01,02 numbers they currently use and that all patients know.
Not only do I show them how to improve their telecoms services but in most cases they can reduce their costs at the same time.
If anyone wants further info please do not hesitate to contact me terry.pearson@octagoncommunications.co.uk
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Old 14-12-2007, 11:33
parliamentarian
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I have been a telecoms consultant dealing with Doctors surgeries, PCT's and alike for over 10 years. Most practice managers and PCt's are not aware that they don't have to use 0844 numbers to get the services they need to offer a better service to patients.
All the call queing, auto attendant, and other usefull services can be added to the existing 01,02 numbers they currently use and that all patients know.
Have you done anything to try and publicise this with the idiots at the top of the NHS who have not yet outright barred all 0844 numbers retrospectively and forced the guilty and immoral doctors concerned to renegotiate their contracts to use an 03 or their original 01 or 02 numbers?

Not only do I show them how to improve their telecoms services but in most cases they can reduce their costs at the same time. If anyone wants further info please do not hesitate to contact me terry.pearson@octagoncommunications.co.uk
What is your take on the ethics of Essex wide boys Network Group Europe compared to a reputable telecoms consultant like yourself?
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Old 14-12-2007, 13:53
PearsonT
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I already deal with several PCt's in the north of England.

I am currently dealing with some Doctor surgeries in Preston, Lancs, one of which has realised that they were missled into using an 0844 number and will soon be back to using a 01 number.

There are problems with using an 03 number as ofcom still have not guarenteed the call charges for this kind of number.

If anyone has problems with any surgery or health centre anywhere in the UK let me know and I will be more than happy to help at no cost to anyone as I want these kind of companies out of our industry.
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Old 14-01-2008, 22:08
canvey
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There are problems with using an 03 number as ofcom still have not guarenteed the call charges for this kind of number.
03 are charged at the same rate as 01/02 -and are included in all phone packages.

030 are designed for non-profit organisations, including Doctor's Surgeries.
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Old 23-11-2011, 18:16
kidneystone
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Anyone know what happened about this petition. I signed it a long time ago but nothing has changed. I still get ripped off when calling the doctors. Numbers starting 01, 02, 03, 0845 and 0870 are included in my phone package as they are in most peoples phone packages.
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Old 25-11-2011, 21:26
ilovekrys
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i think its been push under the carpet lol
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Old 25-11-2011, 22:27
bean999
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GPs have been asked to stop using these numbers:

http://conversation.which.co.uk/mone...phone-numbers/

Cost is the most important thing obviously, but I've noticed through a neighbour of mine that the sense of 'a local service' has faded a little with the loss of local numbers. She's retired, her surgery is just down the road, she used to work there (or was based there, as a health visitor); these days she feels a bit marginalised by the opaque 0844 she now needs to dial.
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Old 25-11-2011, 22:57
LION8TIGER
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What I didn't like about it the most was how it was automated, so a long welcome message followed by a 'we are currently busy please wait while we connect you' ...... used to be 5-10 mins before you got through.

Thankfully they went back to an 020 number a couple of months ago.
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Old 28-11-2011, 08:51
SkipTracer
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You need to be thankful that they are not changing to 09 numbers at a £1 + per minute.

I would not put it pass this government to be considering it.
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Old 30-11-2011, 02:17
joshua_welby
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I heard that Doctors Surgery will not be using these numbers anymore and are reverting back to local 01 and 02 numbers that are free on some call plans,
except for Virgin because with Virgin if you pay £5 a month you get Free calls to all 08 numbers unlike Sky, BT and the like where only 0845 and 0870 calls are in your call plans
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