Jarvis wrote on Jan 22
nd, 2010 at 12:40pm:
Hi can anyone help with a free number for 0845 850 1166
Free (freephone) numbers only exist where they are setup by the organisation you are calling. In most cases it will have to be a geographic number.
Jarvis wrote on Jan 22
nd, 2010 at 12:40pm:
This is for NHS Help with Health Costs
Sandyford House
Archbold Terrace
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE2 1DB
I have searched on 0870 and this gives a number as 0151 708 4700, but when you call this number it is a Job Seeker Plus office in another town. The fax number shown at this address starts 0191, so I suspect the phone number is also going to start with 0191.
A tip here is that organisations often change their names and/or amalgamate, but this does not mean they must change their 01/02 phone numbers, unless perhaps they move location.
A search of the database for the number 0845 850 1166 returns two results; the verified one is for "Prescription Pricing Authority (PPA"). Now I've never heard of "NHS Help with Health Costs", but I have the PPA, as it has been discussed before on here. It is good to know that our NHS is putting our money to good use.
The other entry which is unverified and gives 0151 708 4700 is "Department of Social Security (DSS)", which probably explains why this number is for a JobCentre as what was the DSS is now DWP of which the JobCentre is part. I have removed this entry.
Whilst the DSS lead may not be of such help, I think that the Prescription Pricing Authority one is.
Firstly, the PPA website is (or was)
www.ppa.org.uk (this is the address linked to from the PPA database entries) which has a message on "The Prescription Pricing Division website has been incorporated into a new single NHSBSA website" and then forwards to the
NHS Business Services Authority Prescriptions page.
PPA has a thread running on this forum which is
here. A search of the database for
prescription pricing
returns two entries, one with number 0191 232 5371, which is also mentioned on the PPA thread, where the requestor advised that it is a suitable alternative.
It is answered with an IVR which identifies itself as "The headquarters of the NHS Business Services Authority" and invites the caller to enter an extension number or select an option:
1. Help with European Health Insurance Card
2. Help with Health Costs
3. Enquiries about pharmacy processing, prescription searches, personal administration, dispensing doctors or contractor payment information
4. Student Bursaries, Pensions & Social Work Bursaries
5. Connect to NHS Business Services Authority
6. Speak to operator
Pages: 1
NHS Business Services Authority (Read 15,907 times)
