Go to the posting on the 25/2/05 by Lompos for this info.
Its on about page 2 of the Nhs Premium and National Rate Phone Line postings.

Doctors will be using the 5p a min at all times service i believe.

Quote:

Can't help with the cost from a phone box but, from a BT residential landline, the costs range between ½p/minute and 5p/minute depending upon subsequent digits and/or the day/time of day.

OK.  I am going to send this.

I refer to our past correspondence. 

I think that you may have been ill advised either by your PCT, the Government, or your switchboard supplier - now that you have changed your number from 0870 428 0773 to 0844 477 8648. 

The penalty to call you is now even worse than it was when you had your 0870 number, which was bad enough.  Allow me to explain.

The following table shows the cost of a 1 minute call to your surgery from a residential phone.

0870 7.90p 3.95p 1.50p
0844 5.00p 5.00p 5.00p

A daytime call to a 01380 number with BT, on their standard tariff costs just 3p a minute. During the weekends and evenings an hour-long call costs just 5½p. Some supplier tariffs have free calls to ‘normal’ 01 or 02 numbers.  Your patients cannot benefit from these tariffs when they call your surgery.

Your suppliers’ statement on their website and a bulletin from Customer Service Call Centre at the Department of Health, state that 0844 numbers are ‘guaranteed low rate call’ or lo-call’ numbers.  This is incorrect - they are high cost numbers to call.

You can clearly see that the rate you now force patients to pay to call you is excessively high when compared to a call to a 01 or 02 number.  The situation worsens if a patient has to use a phone box, as many do, to reach you.  This can cost up to 30p for the same duration!  So, you penalise further those that are disadvantaged.  Calling your 0844 number from a mobile phone can be over 10p a minute!

This excessive charge generates a rebate.  This rebate, or income, is created on every call to your surgery number.  Someone is earning revenue from each call to your practice.  I trust you are aware of part 18 clause 483 of the Standard Medical Services Contract?  It states:

“The contractor shall not, either itself or through any other person, demand or accept from any patient of it’s a fee or other remuneration for its own or another’s benefit.”

The use of revenue generating phone numbers is contrary to this provision because it means acceptance of remuneration from your patients.  It is irrelevant if this income is paid to you or if your supplier uses it to fund supplying your switchboard.

I know one of your patients hung up when trying to reach you, because they thought they had the wrong number and was confused to hear ‘press 1 for appointments, 2 for enquiries etc.  When she tried to redial, she pressed the wrong number she was so confused.  This is not an ‘improved service’ as you claim.

I now respectfully request, under The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act passed on 30 November 2000 that you supply me with the 01380 terminating number for your surgery and all other numbers in your practise where you have an 0870 or 0845 numbers.

I very much look forward to hearing from you soon.
*********************************************

I have to say that I feel a bit scared about doing this, but I feel that I have to do something.

Can I ask that someone has a look over this and just lets me know that I am not going to be visited late at night by the GP Gestapo or something!

PS.  The table in the letter did not copy too well. I have ammended it a bit, but I am sure you get the drift?

Looks great to me. It gives me more  to throw at them when I ring back to complain that the assistant hasn't rung me back since I called the PCT last Thursday.

And I don't mind sending the letter to them - what can they do to me ??   

Well written letter Cricketer.  When you get a reply from your GP please post it.

0844 numbers attract varying charges.  From landlines they are all listed at:

http://www.bt.com/Pricing/pis_info.jsp?PRICE_OPTION=Residential/PIS_Specialised_...

However, NEG plc who is the phone system provider for GPs stated that their 0844 numbers will be charged at 5p/min from landlines.  Payphone charges are in fact much higher, higher even than for 0870 numbers.  You may find the following table useful.  It is a  comparison of daytime call charges for 0870/0844/payphone/geog numbers for varying durations (but call charges from mobiles are not included):

http://uk.msnusers.com/Premiumratetelephonenumbers/shoebox.msnw?Page=1

(the asterisk in the table is for 5p/min)

Not 1 but 2 letters!

Letter 1 - from the person that I wrote to - dated 10th May

I have received your letter dated 6th May 2005.  I have noted the comments you make in your letter.

As we do not know the geographical numbers I would like to refer you to NEG with your request

Letter 2 - from one of the partners in the practice - dated 11th May

Thank you for your recent letter.  We are sorry that you felt that you had to write to us again about the latest change to our telephone number.

We have duly noted the contents of your letter and these will form part of the agenda at a Partners' business meeting as soon as possible.

We have also had other advice, the gist of which we fully intend to convey to you in a seperate letter.

Please be assured we are giving the contents of your letter our fullest attention.  We will be in touch shortly.

I have not heard anything yet.

Anyone fancy helping me in my responses, so that I/we can be as irritating as possible?

Funny i have tried dialling 0844 2p,and 5p tariff numbers from 18866 and it dont allow them.