idb wrote on Nov 22^nd, 2007 at 12:46am:

After a helpful briefing to the journalist, a follow up to this article has been published:

Calls to get tough on surgery phone lines


A subsequent further briefing has been provided to point out that:

1. it is Alan Johnson, the Secretary of State for Health, who believes that GPs are breaching the terms of their contract,

2. at least one local MP (a former shadow Chancellor) has written to the PCT about this matter, and

3. it is the Prime Minster who is hosting the petition.

The journalist has been urged to rely on worthy and local sources, and vica versa.

David

http://www.lynnnews.co.uk/news/More-anger-over-Gaywood-and.3586937.jp

More anger over Gaywood and Dersingham GP calls

By Amy Collett

<<
A DOCTOR'S practice which introduced a new phone system charging people up to 40p a minute has sparked more complaints from patients.

Patients at Gayton Road Health Centre in Gaywood and Carole Brown Health Centre in Dersingham are having to fork out more money to see their doctor after the surgeries switched their local rate number to a more expensive 0844 number.

The move sparked a complaint from Gayton Road patient and former health authority chairman Roy Spencer, as reported in the Lynn News last month.

Now more patients who were unaware of the change or the higher call charges until they read our story and checked their phone bills are outraged as well.

Gayton Road patient Elise Swansborough (51) has complained to Vida Healthcare, which operates both surgeries, Norfolk Primary Care Trust and North West Norfolk MP Henry Bellingham and is also considering starting a petition calling for the local number to be reinstated.

Miss Swansborough, of Lime Kiln Road, Gayton, said charging patients more to phone their GP was "unethical and wrong", and undermines the principles of a free NHS.

"If the phone system they had before didn't work then they should find some other way of resolving it rather than making their patients pay more," she said.

It is thought the two surgeries are the only ones in West Norfolk using an 0844 number, which costs 5p a minute from a landline and 40p from a mobile. This compares to a local rate of 3.25p a minute.

Gayton Road's Patient Participation Group said the surgery tried to consult patients before the new number was introduced earlier this year by putting posters up and sending out letters with repeat prescriptions.

But patient Jeannette Fine, of Gaywood, said as someone who doesn't need to visit the surgery very often, she did not see any posters when she was there and didn't receive a letter with any of her repeat prescriptions.

In a letter to the Lynn News, she said: "I had no idea that the new number, besides being less convenient to use than the old, cost me more. I suspect that the majority of healthier patients at these surgeries, like myself, never had any notification of the change, let alone its cost implications."

Vida Healthcare has defended the new system, saying it does not make a profit from it and it was introduced to improve service to patients.

Managing partner Graham Dickerson said: "The new system was brought in as a direct result of the comments patients made about telephone access to the surgery. For example patients told us they would rather wait in a queue than having to keep redialling."
>>

More local media coverage

See posting to Surgeries charge more for calling

Hi I think this is fantastic and a stride in the right direction, can we lobby the Practice Managers and the relitive body within the health authorities.

I think if as many practice managers an relevant departments within the health authorities were contacted it may force their hand.

I am not a telecoms techi but surely they can use 03 numbers for the same purpose.

If somebody points me in the right direction I will do my bit.

Baz

bazzerfewi wrote on Jan 17^th, 2008 at 7:03am:


Well, from what we understand, their new systems run entirely on VoIP. There is absolutely no excuse for NEG to not switch them straight over to 03. The most that the surgeries would have to pay would be a minimum fee to actually run the 03 number, but there would (or at least should!) be no incoming call charges.

http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=136730&command=d...



'IMMORAL GP CALL PRACTICE MUST GO'

18 January 2008



A controversial phone system that charges patients to call their doctor is to be discussed in the House of Commons.

The 084 number, which is used by 11 doctors' surgeries in East Yorkshire, charges patients up to 5p a minute from land lines and 40p a minute from mobile phones.

Its use was first reported in the Mail after 72-year-old patient Ian Burns, of Patrington, was charged 50p for one call, during which he was placed on hold for 10 minutes.


The system, operated by Surgery Line, has been branded unfair by patients and health watchdogs and Health Secretary Alan Johnson, MP for Hessle and West Hull, has issued firm advice to GPs not to charge patients more.

Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart has secured a Commons debate on the controversial numbers.

The motion, backed by 59 MPs, describes the system as "unsatisfactory" and calls on Mr Johnson to put an end to it.

Mr Stuart said: "These call charges have caused a great deal of hardship and worry to many people, especially the elderly and disabled, and it's about time we saw the back of them. Unfortunately, the Government is dragging its heels and refusing to act.

"Instead, it's content to blame the health trusts. It's up to Mr Johnson to put an end to this immoral practice and that's what I'll be calling for in Monday's debate."

Under the Surgery Line system, callers do not receive an engaged tone if the line is busy, but are placed in a queue and given a list of options to choose. However, the call does not tell people their bills are rising while they are on hold.

Before the system was introduced, people calling surgeries on a Kingston Communications line could do so for free and BT customers would have been charged 3p a minute at peak times and 4.5p for up to an hour off-peak.

The revenue-sharing numbers, as they are known, also allow practices to generate up to 2p a minute income from each call.

A number of other service providers, such as dentists, opticians and pharmacists, have also moved to 084 numbers.

The latest guidance from the Department of Health is that GPs should not enter new contracts with providers. It also recommends GPs should consider 03 numbers, which cost the same as a geographic call regardless of what type of line the call is made from.  

idb wrote on Jan 18^th, 2008 at 1:29pm:

This is yet another surgery which has been mislead on call costs. As well as it not being "standard" (and it has never been), it is quoted exclusive of VAT.

Quote:


"Patients who dial the 01 number in error (sic) should now ring the 0844 number, for which you will be charged for NHS services."

All very well if you have the choice, but in my neck of the woods, EVERY practice has  ditched the geo numbers.