Can anybody throw any light on the fact that the NHS plans to create a national contact number for Doctors appointments, I don't know how they will implement it but I bet they will use an 0845 number for the service entry.

The announcement was on tonights national news can anybody throw any light on this.

No! it is the 111 number - for the moment.

We really have no idea about what is going to happen with the NHS (as we now call it).

I have published some comments about NHS Direct, 111 and GPs on 0844 numbers. I conclude with general comments on NHS reform.

My fear is that the 111/NHS Direct model will be ripe for undercutting by the commercial competitors who will be bound to be provided with an opportunity to bid against this expensive option. Use of a "Business Rate" number would aid any such bid, unless the suitability of Business Rate numbers for the NHS has been dealt with by then.

Article in todays Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8313343/Call-NHS-Direct-to-book-GP-appointments-patients-to-be-told.html suggests access number will be 111.

The Daily Mail also have the story with the headline :--

Patients WILL have to ring national call centre to visit GPs despite Government's initial denial

It quotes Dr Brian Gaffney, public health director of NHS Direct, who said "A lot of GP practices find it difficult to manage demands".    So it obviously makes sense to put these same doctors in charge of £80 billion of the NHS budget and get them to take over from the PCTs !!! :o :o


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1355398/NHS-Direct-centre-lines-GP-appointments-opening-soon.html#ixzz1DXIjpbn7

So, what is the cost to the patient of dialling this 111 number? :-/

Currently it is free as reported here :---
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/Emergencyandurgentcareservices/Pages/NHS-111.aspx

"The service is free to call and is staffed by a team of fully trained advisers .... "

But will it stay that way?

loddon wrote on Feb 10^th, 2011 at 10:25am:

Currently it is free as reported here :--- http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/Emergencyandurgentcareservices/Pages/NHS-111.aspx "The service is free to call and is staffed by a team of fully trained advisers .... " But will it stay that way?

Thanks for that loddon [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

This newpaper item picks up on the NHS Direct story from yesterday, but takes it a little further. There are a number of threads in the forum where it could be relevant.

I have followed the link and added my coments in regard to hospital parking fees and I have urged readers to visit this forum to post their views. I do not have the media contacts like some members do but I would be very happy to support a parking fee boycott at one of the local hospitals if other members are in agreement.

bazzerfewi....I have sent you a pm

There has been a lot on the news about 111 this morning, all negative (unless you listen to anything this government says!!) but is it still going to be free to call?   That is what it says in this thread but the post is a year old and I wondered if anything has changed (as in 101 costs rising by 50%!)?

Barbara wrote on Feb 17^th, 2012 at 11:24am:

There has been a lot on the news about 111 this morning, all negative (unless you listen to anything this government says!!) but is it still going to be free to call?   That is what it says in this thread but the post is a year old and I wondered if anything has changed (as in 101 costs rising by 50%!)?

BT list 111 as a 'No fee' call.

http://www.bt.com/pricing/current/Call_Charges_boo/1634_d0e5.htm#1634-d0e5

Am I right in saying this is a limited trial service?

From the link previously given it does not appear to cover all of the UK. Has anyone on here tried calling 111?

There is a lot of confusion about what is going to happen with 111, however the situation is as follows:

A number of "pilots" are currently operating. Some data has been collected, but the proposed review prior to a considered decision about whether or not to roll out has been abandoned.

The Department of Health has demanded full implementation across England by April 2013.

There has not (yet) been any suggestion of abandoning the idea that it will be free to call, nor of any telcos which fail to respect that rule.

It was said that NHS Direct that was staffed by trained Nurses or something was going to be just call centre staff with couple of Profesionals available for Problems - guess where you will be held in a queue ?

Perhaps A4e Gov. Work Prog. can send there for Manditory Work Experience. At least the Drug Addicts and Alcholics will be able to advise in their specialised fields.

What about the CRB Checks that should be required for all these Call-Centre Staff.

If these call centres go to India/Africa what about all the Personal Data that we know even now that gets sold on for extra money to add to their pittance wages.

Are these going to be Exempt from Ofsted Watching same as the A4e and Others on the Gov.Back to Work Prog. and look at how much Fraud has been going on - All the Company Pay is Taxpayers Money including Emma Harrison's 8.6 million Dividend she paid herself for Failure - just like the Banks.  Now we could be opening yet another Door for the Big Business Bandits because Government is too nieve to see what is going on under their noses and believe that business and GPs' play by the Queensbury Rules.

Quote:

Re: Doctors National Contact Number Reply #7 - Feb 11th, 2011 at 3:57am    This newpaper item picks up on the NHS Direct story from yesterday, but takes it a little further. There are a number of threads in the forum where it could be relevant.

The above link in the quote above - This newspaper item - Correction it doesnt work in quote Go back to SCV Post #7 to work link Has at the very bottom of the Page a Link in Red about how to jump the Options queue for various Companies with 0845/0870 numbers with a cheat by hitting 000 or *0 *0 until you get a human

Perhaps this cheat list could be added to the Geog numbers Panel for use 

I would give a link if I know how to - with a link through another link - perhaps someone could bring it over for me
If you can Thanks - These Cheats do work.

speedy wrote on Feb 27^th, 2012 at 11:01pm:

Quote: Re: Doctors National Contact Number Reply #7 - Feb 11th, 2011 at 3:57am    This newpaper item picks up on the NHS Direct story from yesterday, but takes it a little further. There are a number of threads in the forum where it could be relevant. The above link in the quote above - This newspaper item - Correction it doesnt work in quote Go back to SCV Post #7 to work link Has at the very bottom of the Page a Link in Red about how to jump the Options queue for various Companies with 0845/0870 numbers with a cheat by hitting 000 or *0 *0 until you get a human Perhaps this cheat list could be added to the Geog numbers Panel for use  I would give a link if I know how to - with a link through another link - perhaps someone could bring it over for me If you can Thanks - These Cheats do work.

This one?

speedy wrote on Feb 27^th, 2012 at 11:01pm:

The above link in the quote above - This newspaper item - Correction it doesnt work in quote Go back to SCV Post #7 to work link Has at the very bottom of the Page a Link in Red about how to jump the Options queue for various Companies with 0845/0870 numbers with a cheat by hitting 000 or *0 *0 until you get a human Perhaps this cheat list could be added to the Geog numbers Panel for use  I would give a link if I know how to - with a link through another link - perhaps someone could bring it over for me If you can Thanks - These Cheats do work.

As this isn't really relevant to this thread, please can discussion on the topic be continued on one of these threads:

• Tricks to skip queues and speak to a human (Geographical Chat section)
   
  
• Getting a human voice (Site Related section)

Thanks CJT-80

That is the spot

Sorry Dave I didnt know there was a section - I dont have a reason to go to the Geo so far

I have had a look and this one from Money dated 2009 appears to be later than everything on there.

SilentCallsVictim wrote on Mar 8^th, 2012 at 9:47pm:

… I have heard today of someone … being advised by a NHS official to avoid paying a premium to call his GP on a 0844 number by calling 111 and asking to be put through to his GP. …

Follow the link given above ("SilentCallsVictim wrote") to read the full posting.

There are comments that belong to both the issue of GPs using 084 numbers and that of the 111 service.