The Oxford Times carried this story back in May : -----

http://www.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/search/display.var.1414452.0.high_cost_calls_...

Here is the text : -------

High cost calls cause concern
By Victoria Owen

Watchdogs are concerned patients are being forced to use high cost phone lines to call their GP surgeries.

The Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust patient and public involvement forum (PPIF) said the use of 0844 numbers by family doctors was placing an "unfair financial burden" on pensioners, the chronically ill and the disabled.

Members have complained to the trust and Banbury MP Tony Baldry, has raised its concerns with Health Minister Rosie Winterton.

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In a letter to the trust, the forum said: "The use of these high cost phone numbers for patients to contact their surgery or health centre not only places an unfair financial burden on those least able to bear it, but is discriminatory in placing an unfair financial burden on people with the greatest number of health needs.

"People such as old age pensioners, chronically sick and disabled others and any persons on low incomes are most disadvantaged by enforced use of these numbers."

Earlier this year, the Oxford Mail highlighted the problem after pensioner William Hughes, 78, of Compton Drive, Abingdon, complained that a 14 minute call to his doctor at the Malthouse Surgery, had cost 63p.

Two years ago, the Government said 0844 numbers would replace premium and national rate numbers to ensure patients did not have to pay for expensive calls.

Mr Baldry said there was confusion about the price of calling the code, which while costing 5p a minute from a BT landline, could cost as much as 35p a minute from a mobile phone.

He claimed some people ended up paying more under the new scheme, which was unacceptable.

He said: "It's the Gov- ernment's responsibility to ensure this change is enacted, and if it hasn't happened then the Department of Health is failing patients.

"However, I think the problem may be unintentional but no less damaging for patients' pockets. I understand that 0844 numbers can be charged at different rates."

One 0844 provider, Network Europe Group, said calls from the code cost about the same as calling a local BT number and should not increase if a patient phoned from a mobile.

Spokesman Alastair Campbell said the main advantage of the system was people calling their GPs did not have to spend time redialling after getting an engaged tone.

He added: "Sometimes, there maybe 20 people calling at a time, and with a BT number a GP would have to have about 20 lines into the surgery to eradicate this, which would be too expensive. With 0844 numbers, you can have as many lines as you like, so the patient can choose to wait or dial again later if it's not urgent.

"Studies we've done show the average patient spends about 5p more a year as a result, which isn't very much for the service."

Alison Brumfitt of Oxfordshire PCT, said: "0844 numbers are lo-call numbers and are in line with the Government's policy that GPs shouldn't use high rate numbers. If any patient gets their bill and finds they've been charged a premium rate by their surgery, they should contact us and we will look into it."

NGMsGhost wrote on Jul 28^th, 2007 at 5:06pm:

Indeed. 0844 and 0871 are referred to by BT as "ContactCall".

Details on how BT promotes 08xx numbers on its website here.

NEG mentions "lo-call" here, with respect to 0844 and, naturally, "national rate" with respect to 0870.

  Quote:


It is interesting that BT claim on their web site for 0844 that there is no revenue share with these numbers.

http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/btbusinessProducts/displayProduct.do?produ...

Quote:


Does this actually mean that every 0844 surgery number is registered with NEG, who - of course - charge the full amount of 5p, making no co-payment themselves? They then - presumably - can determine if they give anything back to the surgery by way of rebate, or keep the entire call charge themselves

Quote:


And...don't you just love the bare faced cheek of BT who really sit grinning like the cat that ate the cream. They can be seen to wash their hands of the whole scam - when, in fact, they are in it so far only the soles of their feet are showing! I've long maintained that this is where the REAL blame lies. Contact Call! Huh! Rip Off Call I'd term it.....

NGMsGhost wrote on Jul 28^th, 2007 at 10:19pm:
A few years back when an 0845/0870 cost the same as a local/national geo, did revenue share exist back then?  I'm sure that companies/gov depts had to contribute to the cost of the call (specifically for 0845 anyhow).  I realise that when different local/national rates were scrapped that meant more revenue for CPs which meant some of this revenue was then passed on to company/gov dept using the numbers and basically since then and the fact that CPs continued to market 08x as being local or national rate but with the added bonus of allowing revenue share to the company/gov dept then that's when nearly every company in the UK moved to an 08x.

Well, well, well.  Don't you seem to know rather a lot about this subject for somone who is allegedly only the director of a hospital radio station pw4.

pw4 wrote on Jul 29^th, 2007 at 4:14pm:


I knew you were involved in hospital radio and may wrongly have thought you were the MD of such a station.

Perhaps in fact you are merely involved in hospital radio but also a director of another business in the telecoms industry as well?

pw4 wrote on Jul 29^th, 2007 at 4:40pm:

Actually I had forgotten about DC altogether.  But perhaps you and he have become a sort of amalgam in my mind.  Apologies for any incorrect associations therefore.

What is an A108 though?

http://www.wigantoday.net/wigan-news?articleid=3069379

4 times dearer to call the doctor

By Andy Cooney

<<
Patients phoning the family doctor are being hit in the wallet as Wigan surgeries switch to a new call handling system.

The controversial new line, which can cost up to 400 per cent more than a standard landline call, has been adopted by at least three local clinics who have ditched the 01942 Wigan prefix in favour of an 0844 code.

Medicentre, on Wigan Road in Ashton, along with Hindley's Pennygate Medical Centre on Ladies' Lane, and Dr Burzar's surgery on Liverpool Road, have all adopted the higher price system.

Calls to the new 0844 number can cost patients up to 4p a minute more than calls to a standard BT landline and phoning the line from a mobile can cost as much as 35p per minute.

Callers pay a flat fee of 5p per minute from anywhere in the country rather than BT's local rate of 3p per minute at peak times and 1p per minute off peak under the Option 1 package.

None of the surgeries wished to comment but a spokesman for 0844 operator NEG, Alistair Campbell, contacted the Evening Post.

He said: "There are situations where the old system is cheaper but there are situations where we are cheaper, like if you call from outside the Wigan area for example.

"Callers to our lines tend not to spend as long on the phone and end up spending less overall.
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