Another example of the NHS misleading patients about cost of 0843 calls.

Needless to say no mention of a call connection/service charge either. :o

http://www.kmpt.nhs.uk/images/whats-happening/Patient-Transport-Service-leaflet.pdf

0843 2 241 888 Charge Band G6. Provided by Talk Talk Business.

The Web is full of links to instances of NSL Patient Transport Service letting patients down, even after a particular Area Contract started July last year and in March THIS Year they were still letting patients down in that area.

Note: Kent and Medway Contracted 1st July 2013 let down patients of Canterbury Hospital in the first week, see Kent Online.

I will be contacting my Local Area Team to see what they have to say about the 0843 number - incidently the NSL HO in London has an 0844 number, so there is no excuse that they dont know what they are doing.

Having been previously part of National Car Parks they obviously thought the NHS was a soft touch for their napharious activities, making the Patients pay extra is just as bad as GP's 0844.

I wonder if NHS England have realised this was going on, more mismanagment left over from the notorious PCTs.

I think I shall contact ASA and reporting them for misleading advertising.

Nothing shocks me with anything run by or "enforced" by NSL!

They are responsible for the parking services in several area's of East Sussex and INSIST you call an 0845 number to make any payments for PCN's (parking tickets).

NHS England need to be informed by anyone regarding the clear "abuse" of it's patients in that area by NSL Services/Care, as they are using an 084 number for a service provided to a PUBLIC body.  Frankly it's disgraceful!

>:(

CJT-80 wrote on Aug 2^nd, 2013 at 12:14pm:

Nothing shocks me with anything run by or "enforced" by NSL! NHS England need to be informed by anyone regarding the clear "abuse" of it's patients in that area by NSL Services/Care, as they are using an 084 number for a service provided to a PUBLIC body.  Frankly it's disgraceful! >:(

On my way CJT 80, just collecting more details and aquiring target area in NHS England.

This is a similar scenario to the Complaint I made to my then PCT, about their none activity regarding GP 0844 number which I escalated to Health Omb. Service.

The Kent and Medway NSL Contract was tendered and bid in Jan 2012 when it was a PCT and the Local Area Team is exactly the same Force with a different name only, but with the same unacceptable poliicy which it has carried over to its new role after 1st April.

I will also be reporting to ASA as I have found that NSL have in all Areas of their Patient Transport Service operation, printed on their leaflets under each different Area 0843 number (Local Rate)

I will be taking professional advice on how to present these complaints so that it will be done right first time.

These complaints will take time to even get any reply let alone results so bear with me if it appears to go quiet from me.  ;D

Quote:

And NSL uses a 0844 number for general contact. It claims that "Calls will be charged at never more than 5p per minute from BT landlines." But the cost of ringing the number from BT is 5.105 pence per minute plus a call set-up fee of up to 15 pence. The price BT charges is the lowest as it isn't allowed to add its own Access Charge.

Lucky Lewisham Car Parking, now showing the correct call cost, but it appears that NSL Patient Care Services don't Care about giving the same false call information that was shown after removal of "Calls are charged at Local Rate" which was shown previously.

The false call cost statement is still shown today at this link
http://www.nslcareservices.co.uk/kent-and-medway for the 0843 number used here.

Wake up NSL Patient Care Services you may not care about your Patients but there are loads of people out there that do >:(

Below is the link to a New Page with the 'proper wording' instead of the old link showing 'never more than 5p'
 
http://www.nsl.co.uk/kent-and-medway/   

Note the change to nsl.co.uk from nslcareservices on the old link.

The 'New' page Archived on 23 November, in line with ASA requests but the Internet is still peppered with the 'old' misleading information and first equally unacceptable effort Archived on 14th Sept and the 'Patient Use Leaflets have not been changed, this was also part of the ASA complaint.

The Original and 1st change Archived on 11th and 14th Sept

If you type NSL Kent and Medway into Google it now goes to the 'New' page, but if you only know the 'old' link it still goes to the unacceptable 'Never more than 5p' etc.

NSL have only done the minimum to wriggle round the re-wording requirement. The Patient leaflet is now back on my horizon.

WHEN WILL OFCOM GET SOME TEETH and stop this crazy false terms >:(

bazzerfewi wrote on Nov 25^th, 2013 at 3:22pm:

WHEN WILL OFCOM GET SOME TEETH and stop this crazy false terms >:(

Ofcom is currently biting into the extensive objections to its proposals that have been raised by EE and others.

Once these have been thoroughly chewed and spat out (as demanded of every public body) the ASA can start getting away from the improper promotion of one provider, which the current CAP guidelines recommend.

Whats the situation where NHS patients in various parts of UK are required to call a non geographical  number to get transport ? Will they be required to provide an alternative in the near future,or wait until contract is up for renewal?

Should the NHS departments responsible for procurement of these contracts not be asking for only 01/02/03 patient access numbers to be provided in the first place ?

http://www.nsl.co.uk/contact/nept/ show they run at least  four  that use 0843 numbers .( Devon offers geographical access).

bigjohn wrote on Jan 18^th, 2014 at 3:39am:

Should the NHS departments responsible for procurement of these contracts not be asking for only 01/02/03 patient access numbers to be provided in the first place ?

In England Directions were issued to NHS bodies in December 2009 which forbid them and contractors from using 084 numbers.

Dave wrote on Jan 18^th, 2014 at 4:29pm:

In England Directions were issued to NHS bodies in December 2009 which forbid them and contractors from using 084 numbers.

Interestingly that link has a copy of this letter http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130107105354/http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_110463.pdf which has the following advice: "These Directions do not prohibit an organisation from using specific number ranges for the purpose of contacting NHS services. Organisations remain free to use non-geographical number ranges such as 084, providing that patients are not charged more than the equivalent cost of calling a geographical number to do so."

That appears to be a little open to interpretation from the company who supplies the 084 number and the organisation who uses it... if they advise that it's "cheaper" to call the number as opposed to an 01/02 number is that argument dead in the water?

:-?

PS: I couldn't get the link to work as a "clickable" word.

The these Directions were ignored by the then PCTs both in the case of Directions for GP Contracts and seperately for Directions for NHS Contractors.

In all areas where NSL uses 0843 the Patient Transport were Tendered, Bid and Contracted by those PCTs. In the case of Kent this was Contracted Jan 2012 but only went live 1st July 2013 after the 1st April re-arrangement by NHS England of PCT to Local Area Teams, but their perverse acceptance of 0844 and 0843 in connection with our Public Service the NHS.

NHS England is sorting the GP's 0844 and I hope shortly the NSL 0843 will follow suit.

I have already contacted the ASA with regard to NSL Kent and Medway publishing calls are charged at Local and the correct call rate is now published but there is a lot of mopping up to be done locally. I was only able to Complain about Kent and Medway but did also mention other areas in which this occured.

Only one area offers an 03 number but this is historic being the original company Patient First, pre NSL then merged, but keeping the 03 number.

Thanks for all the feedback.

They still  seem to use what they think fit,instead of following guidelines.EG

The Patient Transport Services for (Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Swindon) are provided by Arriva from 1/12/2013

See: http://www.healthwatchwiltshire.co.uk/news/arriva-patient-transport-solutions-new-service-provider-non-emergency-patient-transport

They use an 0845 number see:
http://www.gwh.nhs.uk/media/157765/non_emergency_patient_transport_pil.pdf

Yet the new Patient Transport Services for Plymouth from 1/10/2013 see https://www.newdevonccg.nhs.uk/quality/pals-38-complaints/patient-transport-information/new-patient-transport-services-providers-from-october/100785

correctly use a geographical number see : http://www.healthwatchdevon.co.uk/new-non-emergency-patient-transport-service-provider/

Clearly something NHS England should get a grip of.

Devon are showiing some geo. numbers because it is tied up with the alternative taxi service bookable through the Hospitals in various parts, below is a link from NSL pre activation  publication that shows these geo. numbrs and also shows the NSL 0843 number.

Devon and from 1st Oct 2013   0843 357 5700  for Comments   
http://www.nslcareservices.co.uk/new-devon

South Shropshire is the only area with 0333 number (historic Patient First number mentioned )

Below is a link to the actual 2009 document that is very clear on this subject for Contractors which PCTs chose to ignore against getting a cheaper deal, without considering that the Patients would be paying in some cases over £6 just to book Medical need Non Emergency Transport to Hospital Appts.


This is the 2009 document link

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130107105354/http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_110479.pdf

It is now up to the Local Area Teams to put this right after the misdemeanors of the PCTs who in the past were autonimous but now NHS England has got the teeth to make them, after they have sorted the remaining GP 0844 numbers.

The England NHS reorganisation of 1 April 2013 has made this situation a little complex.

Patient Transport Services were previously commissioned by PCTs, but this responsibility is now held by CCGs.

CCGs could be said to be subject to the Directions issued by the Department of Health in December 2009, although they were not in existence at the time. The CCG support function of NHS England should ensure that CCGs are aware of this, however that may not be able to affect contracts and arrangements currently in place, as the Directions only required action within the coming 12 months.

The view of the fair telecoms campaign is that the best way to deal with this is by approaching the PTS providers directly. The same applies to other contracted providers of NHS services, other than GPs who were subject to an explicit contract revision. As always, I hold back from public discussion of the fine detail of tactics being pursued in individual cases, but would be happy to engage in detailed discussion with supporters.

NSL Care Services number is 0843 208 6888, need a phone number which is mobile phone friendly, cheaper.

the alternative number is [Number Removed]

Number removed so as not to cause any issues to the company who uses it CJT-80

bazzerfewi wrote on Apr 20^th, 2016 at 7:52pm:

the alternative number is 01832 732456

Hold your horses  thats  the phone number of a surgery in Kettering

www.nenevalleysurgery.co.uk

The original poster is seeking an alternative to the Northamptonshire Patient Transport Service.

http://www.nsl.co.uk/contact/nept and choose area.

(Amended to remove link to this combined thread CJT-80)

I have joined this thread with the previous thread discussing NSL Care Services (who provide some Patient Transport Services)

jencode wrote on Apr 20^th, 2016 at 11:48am:

NSL Care Services number is 0843 208 6888, need a phone number which is mobile phone friendly, cheaper.

NSL Care Services provide Patient Transport services in a number of locations.  Some of these are: 01/02 numbers where as others are 084.  I would recommend contacting NSL directly here to A: establish if there is an alternative number to the 0843 one listed, and B: establish WHY the 0843 number continues to be used for this service, as opposed to the 01/02 numbers which other services use!

Services operated by NSL with an 01/02 number are:

Dudley PTS and Somerset PTS which both use geographic numbers.

Please then return to here and let us know how you have got on.

Many Thanks