SCV - My anger wasn't at the use of the 0844 number (although i'm pretty angry about that as well) but the blatent lies and misleading statements that they shouldn't get away with and puts them in the catagory of a dodgy trader rather than a respected member of the community, a position GPs used to hold.

SCV,

Oh come on! Do you really think that every GP in both these surgeries is nieve enough not to realise these are lies or misleading, especially with all the publicity over 0844 numbers currently?

Do you really think that nobody has pointed it out to them.?When our local GPs went 0844 there was one hell of a stink. They would have to be blind deaf and dumb or stupid not to have checked out the evidence either originally or when the issue was raised with them. They are supposed to be analytical people. They know, but they refuse to do anything about it.

My wife is a Doctor - She is fully aware of all of these facts.

SCV,

I see you caught caught out with 'thingy-up' as I have done in the past. It makes what you post look odd doesn't it 

To be honest I'm happy to accept that many if not most probably did believe what they were being told when they signed the contracts, if those contracts were signed several years ago. It doesn't excuse those that signed contracts recently. It also shows a complete lack of morals to put this stuff on their web site now (or at least not remove it) knowing it to be untrue or misleading.

I would have a lot more respect for a surgery which said 'we c*cked up'. One that tells the truth, but doesn't think they have done anything wrong a little less respect for, but absoutely no respect for a surgery that publishes this rubbish. They either know and are quite happy to mislead their patients or are incredibly incompetent, in which case do you want to be their patient?

Once Doctors had universal respect. A combination of the 0844 scandal and the co*ked up Doctors contracts has lost that respect for many people whcih is very sad, particularly as I'm married to one 

Happily I am aware of Doctors who are very anti the 0844 scandal so I wouldn't want to go as far as the comments in your last paragraph. Yet anyway!

SilentCallsVictim wrote on Feb 6^th, 2009 at 2:07pm:



Keith wrote on Feb 6^th, 2009 at 4:41pm:



There is still a way out of these contracts,( if they really want to), under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 (partIII), Misleading Price Indications.




Law and penalties

Under the Consumer Protection Act 1987, it is an offence to give misleading price
indications to consumers, and the maximum penalty is an unlimited fine.  Liability
can extend to the business which provided the number, if they gave incorrect pricing
information to the advertiser.

In addition, where Special Services have been marketed to businesses in a
misleading way, the business customer may be entitled to cancel the contract and to
claim compensation (which could include the cost of re-printing business stationery).

The above is from a Norfolk Trading Standards leaflet,( I can't provide a link as I do not have it, but NGMsGhost might still have it).

But similar advice is here from Hereford TS; - http://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/business/trading_standards/detail.aspx?id=180805...

pw4 wrote on Feb 9^th, 2009 at 2:41pm:

Practices were clearly misled in writing - by the Secretary of State for Health on 24 February 2005 -

Hutton rings the changes on NHS telephone numbers
Quote:

I have long been wondering if Mr Hutton retained a copy of the guarantee to which he refers, and who was the guarantor. His successor, Alan Johnson, would have a quite sizeable claim to make against that guarantee, or would be able to advise patients on how to claim on their own account. There is plenty of circumstantial evidence as to the source of the idea that this fictional guarantee existed.

Let us hope that a ban will be able to go ahead without troubling the lawyers, but with all parties accepting their responsibilities and contributing to an effective solution that allows the best possible NHS services to be provided "free at the point of need".

A fair point. There are other issues, including some (not all) aspects of car park charges and prices in hospital shops that are firmly on the campaign agenda, as there are circumstances in which they can breach the principle of "free at the point of need".

To hold this to the topic, what is distinct about the charges levied through use of revenue sharing telephone numbers by NHS providers is that they are incurred when there is no other service being provided other than access to NHS treatment. Unlike with the other cases, there are no circumstances in which they can be excused as being not charges for NHS services when the numbers are called by NHS patients.

http://www.devonshirelodge.co.uk/telephone_system.htm

<<
[b]New Telephone System

NEG Surgery Line[/b]

This is a revolutionary telephone service, designed specifically for general practice. It has been in development for two years and ensures 96% of callers get through to their surgery first time. NEG Surgery Line™ has an ever growing presence in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Feedback from our patients has consistently expressed frustration with the difficulties experienced when trying to get through to the surgery to make an appointment, particularly at busy times such as Monday mornings.
After careful consideration, we have chosen 'Surgery Line' - a telephone system that patients find easy to use and has received a great deal of praise around the country.

Cost of calling an 0844 Number
Example 1

For most patients there is little or no difference in the price between calling the 0844 number and our old local number. Prices do vary, but according to the most common BT tariff, calls to the surgery from a BT Landline during opening hours would now cost 4.p per minute + VAT plus a 6p call set up fee.  

Calls to 0844 numbers now cost a flat rate of 4.26p per minute + VAT plus a 3p call set up fee.  

Calls from mobiles and other service providers may vary.

Example 2

The cost of a 10 minute call to your 0844 from a BT landline is 5p per minute + a 3p call set up fee this = 53p

The cost of calling a local number from a BT landline is 4.7p per minute + a 6p call set up fee = 53p

In the interests of fairness I would like to point out that after 10 minutes BT do become marginally cheaper.

Also the above costs include VAT and often the press and BT will not include this on their official releases so always ask the question.

On telephoning 0844 576 9965 you will be offered a number of options so that your call can be directed to the appropriate member of staff.

This means that many patients will actually pay less in total because their call is answered and processed more quickly. [highlight]We suggest you add our number 0844 576 9965 to your  Friends & Family list of numbers.[/highlight] [sup][***][/sup]

NEG WELCOMES GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION ON ENHANCED TELEPHONY SERVICES TO GP SURGERIES - December 2008 Please  click to view the statement by NEG
>>


*** According to BT Price List [Serviceview], Section 55:Personal (Residential) Customer Options
Part 12:Friends & Family / Friends & Family Overseas / Friends & Family Auto Update

http://www.serviceview.bt.com/list/public/current/Cust_Opts_Res_boo/3227_d0e5.htm#3227-d0e5

Excluded Calls

Calls to numbers shown in Section 2 Part 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16 of the BT Price List with a Categorisation for Customer Options of 2, 4, 5 or 7.

0844 576 9965 is charge rate g6, categorization 5, and is neither "Eligible for Friends & Family (Exluding F&F Auto Update)" nor "Eligible for Friends & Family Auto Update"

http://www.serviceview.bt.com/list/public/current/Call_Charges_boo/1632_d0e5.htm#1632-d0e5

[b]Yet more lies from the despicable, deceitful and downright nasty NEG.[/b]

Now, where is Kath Simmons/Simons?