http://www.carrickfergustimes.co.uk/carricknews/Changes-to-out-of-hours.3725968....

Changes to out of hours service

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Staff reporter

INTEGRATION of out of hours GP services with Accident and Emergency departments is expected to offer an improved service to patients.

The Northern Health and Social Services Board has launched a pilot scheme designed to ensure people who fall ill between midnight and 7.30am are seen by the most appropriate professional.

Patients who call the usual out-of-hours telephone number will have their problem assessed over the phone, then offered the form of care deemed most appropriate.

Options include telephone advice if the problem can wait until the patient’s own GP practice reopens; an appointment with a doctor at a primary care centre; a home visit by a doctor; or treatment in the A&E department of Antrim Area Hospital.

This mirrors existing practice at Causeway Hospital, which is also controlled by the NHSSB. The system will be monitored during the pilot period to ensure it is the most effective.

Changes in demand for A&E services between midnight and 7.30 mean staff are more likely to be available to see patients. Services before midnight will be unchanged.

Out of hours services continue to be accessed by calling 0870 532 9024. In emergencies, an ambulance should be called by dialling 999.
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The South East Coast Strategic Health Authority has lauched a survey in the following terms:

Quote:


The survey will close on 31st March. The results will be published on the SHA home page.

I'm one of the lucky ones who can still call the doctors on a 01 number, but there has been a change since I last called, you have to press 1 for appointments
2 for home visits
3 etc
4 etc

So it is possible to upgrade a phone system without using an 0844 number.

PS  Have been informed that the change took place last summer, so looks like no number change is planned.

I'm wondering if, since geographical numbers can usually be found for most 0870 numbers , can not the same exist for these surgery ones. I notice my local one has a geographical one for cncelling appointments, presumably to encourage patients to cancel rather than just not show up !  Anyone know if its worth say, trying to ring that number but with a sequential last digit. Perhaps it doesnt work the same way as with 0870's.  I'd just love to find a way around this especially since for me, when calling the surgery the phone is engaged more often or rings for longer than it ever did  before, with a local geo number, so saying 0444's help you get through quicker is nonsense.

The February 2008 issue of "gpcnews", the newsletter of the General Practioner's Committee of the BMA which is distributed through Local Medical Committees, included the following item:

Quote:

It is disturbing to find that NHS GPs are in a commercial relationship with their patients (who are thereby known as "consumers") and so are obliged to comply with regulations covering advertising. It is absurd to believe that GPs know which telephone providers are used by their patients and are able to determine the correct charge rates at any point in time.

Someone with a GP apparently subject to this regulation may wish to contact the government "Consumer Direct" helpline on (Oh dear!) 08454 04 05 06.

(An explanation of the Consumer Direct use of 0845 and geographic alternatives are found here.)

From: The Derby Telegraph 5 March 2008
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BY [url=mailto: JBEECROFT@DERBYTELEGRAPH.CO.UK]JADE BEECROFT[/url]

CITY GPS TOLD TO DITCH HIGH-COST PHONE LINES

Health bosses in Derby have told GP surgeries to avoid using higher-cost phone lines.

Derby City Primary Care Trust has been investigating the use of 084 numbers in doctors' surgeries - which can cost patients up to twice as much as a standard local call.

In January, the Evening Telegraph revealed that 25 doctors' surgeries in the county, including nine in Derby, use an 084 dialling code.

The trust has now told GPs not to enter into new 084 contracts and is looking at how to support surgeries tied into existing contracts, where there could be a cancellation fee for pulling out.

Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust is also investigating the use of 084 numbers.

Telecoms regulator Ofcom said 084 numbers usually cost around 4p-5p a minute, compared with 3p for a standard call.

The cost from a mobile phone can be as much as 50p a minute - five times higher than the cost of a standard mobile call.

The Evening Telegraph called all the surgeries listed as having an 084 number on the NSH Choices website again this week and discovered they all still use the lines.

However three of the surgeries are in the process of phasing out their 084 numbers and also have local lines for patients to use.

A spokesman for the Derby city trust said: "We are in discussion with the practices using 084 numbers to reach a reasonable solution. We have advised all other practices to not use 084 numbers, should they wish to change."

But surgeries using the lines say patients prefer the queuing system during busy periods.

Callers are asked to select from a list of options and are then put in a queue to speak to a surgery receptionist.

Nick Derbyshire, practice manager at Bakewell Medical Centre, in Butts Road, said: "Patient surveys show that access to the surgery has improved significantly since we installed the line.

"Patients prefer to be held in a queue during busy periods rather than ring through to an engaged line and have to redial."

But neither Mr Derbyshire, or Steve Hale, practice manager at the Moir Medical Centre in Long Eaton, could confirm how much their lines cost.

Mr Hale said: "I don't actually know how much patients have to pay, and I don't think that information is given to them. We introduced the lines after patients requested a queuing system."

Three surgeries in Long Eaton - Charlton House Practice, Goldenbrook Surgery and Aitune Practice - are phasing out their 084 lines.


SURGERIES USING 084 NUMBERS

Derby Friar Gate Surgery Agard Street, Derby 0844 8151056
Mackworth Surgery Tufnell Gardens, Derby 0844 4773056
Mayfield Centre Mayfield Road, Chaddesden 0844 4770930
Chapel St Centre Spondon 0844 4770920
Park Centre, Maine Drive, Chaddesden 0844 4773495
Charnwood Surgery Burton Road, Derby 0844 4778585
Parkfield Surgery London Road, Alvaston 0844 4773758
Alvaston Centre Boulton Lane, Alvaston 0844 4994770
Park Medical Practice, Derby Road, Borrowash 0844 4773495 DERBYSHIRE
Appletree Medical Practice The Town, Little Eaton 0844 4773476
Staffa Health Waverley Street, Tibshelf 0844 4771895 Willow Close, Pilsley 0844 4771895 Stonebroom 0844 4771895
Blackwell Centre Gloves Lane, Blackwell 0844 4771840
Whittington Moor Surgery Chesterfield 0844 4773305
Rectory Road Centre Staveley 0844 4127262
Bakewell Centre Butts Road, Bakewell 0844 4773408
Appletree Centre Town Street, Duffield 0844 4773476
Moir Centres Regent Street, Long Eaton 0844 4771759 Wilmot Street, Long Eaton 0844 4771759
Dr Powell and partner New Mills Road, Hayfield 0844 4994470 Union Road, New Mills 0844 4994470


...AND PHASING THE NUMBERS OUT

Charlton House Practice Midland Street, Long Eaton 0844 4150109 now changing to 0115 8554175
Goldenbrook Surgery Long Eaton 0844 4157995 now changing to 0115 8554200
Aitune Practice Midland Street, Long Eaton 0844 4157985 now changing to 0115 8554250
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Patients are naturally grateful if they feel that a problem with accessing NHS treatment has been removed. That is however no justification for introducing a charge levied through the premium cost of calling a revenue sharing 0844 number.

In the commercial world, consumers pay for what they get, and would also expect to have to pay more for an improved service. NHS services are however not paid for by “consumers”, they are delivered “free at the point of need”.

Receipt of remuneration from patients, no matter how it is obtained and used, is prohibited by the terms of the GP’s contract.

What annoys me is that the blame for this further shameful example of 084/7 covert robbery is not being laid squarely at the door of the body which utterly condones it and which failed to ensure that all premium rate revenue share numbers had to use dialling codes that were recognised as premium rate.  Namely Ofcom.

All the rest of ths steaming crock of excrement is then almost bound to ensue once the regulator has failed to do its duty by ensuring that a clear and strong regulatory system means that any organisation which chooses to use revenue share numbers to call it is immediately and unambiguously exposed to criticism for doing so.

Ofcom bleats that 03 numbers are great and will save the planet etc, etc but neither my last telecoms provider (Post Office Homephone) or my current provider (yourcalls.net) charge 03 numbers as being geographic calls as Ofcom had led everybody to believe would be the case.  Neither of these telcos seems to know or care of Ofcom's revised General Condition on the matter.  Ofcom mutters that it must improve its enforcement program, blah, blah, blah.  But Ofcom does not impose any serious fines that make anyone care about always conforming with its rules.  It seems it almost physically hurts Ofcom to ever consider taking any money out of the pockets of its telco buddues.

OK I recognise that here SCV is clearly giving us a masterclass in the successful use of KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) methods with the press by whipping up sentiment about the emotive area of GP services and digging out information solely on that issue.  But nonetheless the much bigger isssue recognised by the National Consumer Council is OfCoN which has totally and utterly failed in its principal duty under section 3(i) of the Communciations Act 2003 and it is that glaring failure that then makes all these other scams almost inevitable.

Although SCV clearly understands far better than the rest of us what appeals to the palate of journalists could he still not also throw in the idea that Ofcom has not been doing its job properly and that it is heavily guilty for making this fiasco with doctors possible.

I am surprised re NGM's Ghost's comments about his providers not accepting 03 numbers as geographical.   I did encounter a similar problem with my provider (Utility Warehouse/TelecomPlus) who listed them as special services and would not believe me when I explained the situation.   I contacted OFCOM by email asking for their intervention/help and, within a very few days, had an email from the director responsible at UW/TP confirming that they had been contacted by OFCOM and that 03 numbers were, indeed, treated as geographical and would be included in my inclusive minutes (this is all in another thread on the forum, can't remember which as it was a couple of months ago, I think).  I then had follow up confirmation from OFCOM.  I also queried this with Orange when dealing with my son's other problems with them (thread Orange Shop Fitzroy St Cambridge) who again checked the situation and confirmed that they treat 03 numbers as geographical.   I would suggest an email to OFCOM requesting their help as they certainly acted very swiftly in my case with the correct result.  SCV had also tipped me off about GC17 (think that's the right one) and I had passed that to UW/TP in the interim.   Although I would in no way defend OFCOM, certain people can be very helpful.  Just a thought.