SAYNOTO0870.COM - Surgeries saying no to 0844!

Dave Global Moderator Offline Posts: 9,902 Yorkshire Gender:	Re: Surgeries saying no to 0844! Reply #60 - Dec 12^th, 2012 at 1:12pm Two weeks ago Bridge End Surgery, Chester-le-Street replaced its 0844 number with a 0191 one.
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CJT-80 Global Moderator Offline Posts: 1,714 Manchester Gender:	Re: Surgeries saying no to 0844! Reply #61 - Dec 13^th, 2012 at 9:48pm catj wrote on Dec 10^th, 2012 at 12:43am: London hasn't changed to 020. It says so right here... http://www.theargus.co.uk/li/style_guide/style_guide_q_t/ Scroll down to telephone numbers. Clearly someone at the Argus needs correcting, or shooting if necessary!
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catj

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Re: Surgeries saying no to 0844!
Reply #62 - Dec 22^nd, 2012 at 1:45pm

Dr D W Brown & Partners - King's Medical Practice
King's Medical Centre, King Edward Street, Normanton, Normanton, WF6 2AZ
0844 8151340

http://www.nhs.uk/Services/GP/Overview/DefaultView.aspx?id=37710#news-title

Quote:

New Telephone Number

On Wednesday 28th November 2012, we will be changing our telephone and fax numbers:

Tel: 01642 745350
Fax: 01642 745351

Please do not use these numbers before Wednesday 28th November 2012 as your call/fax may not be answered.

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Dave Global Moderator Offline Posts: 9,902 Yorkshire Gender:	Re: Surgeries saying no to 0844! Reply #63 - Dec 27^th, 2012 at 3:46pm In October, Barnburgh Surgery near Doncaster switched from 0844 to a geographic number.
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Dave Global Moderator Offline Posts: 9,902 Yorkshire Gender:	Re: Surgeries saying no to 0844! Reply #64 - Feb 1^st, 2013 at 6:52pm The published telephone number for Whitstable Medical Practice is changing to 01227 284320 on Wednesday. This very number has been in our database since December 2009.
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speedy

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Re: Surgeries saying no to 0844!
Reply #65 - Mar 2^nd, 2013 at 12:39am

I checked 1st March and the Dartford East Health Centre Dr. Shimmins Practice own site - not to be confused with the other Dartford East Practice under the same roof but a seperate Practice that has always had an 01322 number.

The geographic number for Dr.Shimmins Practice is now 01322 421480 instead of the 0844 - it states that there is an announcement on the old 0844 giving the new number for people not able to access the Internet.

I havent tried it yet so cant tell if it has a Menu and some queuing, but will do so on Monday and post results here.

The NHS Choices site is not up todate yet.

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« Last Edit: Mar 2^nd, 2013 at 12:40am by speedy »

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loddon Supreme Member Offline Posts: 599 Reading UK Gender:	Re: Surgeries saying no to 0844! Reply #66 - Mar 2^nd, 2013 at 9:50am More good news -- Brookside Group Practice, Earley, Reading have abandoned their 0844 number and reverted to an 01 local number, as reported in the Wokingham Times :--- http://www.getwokingham.co.uk/news/s/2130063_gp_practice_ditches_controversial__...
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kasg

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Re: Surgeries saying no to 0844!
Reply #67 - Mar 5^th, 2013 at 1:34pm

I have just noticed that Bewbush Medical Practice in Crawley has at last stopped using an 0844 number - a number of my friends who only have mobile phones will be very glad of this.

http://www.bewbushmedicalcentre.co.uk/info.aspx?p=6

Quote:

We hope that all our patients understand that the introduction of the old telephone number was a decision taken by the Department of Health, which was beyond our control.

The minimum term of that contract expired this month and we have withdrawn from it at the earliest possible opportunity.

Hmm.

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loddon

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Re: Surgeries saying no to 0844!
Reply #68 - Mar 6^th, 2013 at 9:52am

The Brookside Surgery number change from 0844 to a geographic number is also reported in the Reaing Post as "Surgery drops premium rate phone lines"

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2130070_surgery_drops_premium_rate_phone_line...

There are 15 comments on the story and one at least is still highly critical of the GPs :---

"Cheeky swines charging that much just to call and book an appointment!"

Let us hope that other GPs using 0844 quickly get the message that their decisions are very damaging to the image and prestige of their profession.

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« Last Edit: Mar 6^th, 2013 at 9:54am by loddon »

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Dave

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Re: Surgeries saying no to 0844!
Reply #69 - Mar 6^th, 2013 at 10:05am

loddon wrote on Mar 6^th, 2013 at 9:52am:

The Brookside Surgery number change from 0844 to a geographic number is also reported in the Reaing Post as "Surgery drops premium rate phone lines"

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2130070_surgery_drops_premium_rate_phone_line...

Well done to campaigners for their efforts in making this happen.

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Dave Global Moderator Offline Posts: 9,902 Yorkshire Gender:	Re: Surgeries saying no to 0844! Reply #70 - Mar 16^th, 2013 at 11:09am Northdown Surgery in Margate will be dropping its 0844 number soon. There's a story from the Isle of Thanet Gazette: Doctors' surgeries to drop premium-rate tariff on phone lines.
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loddon

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Re: Surgeries saying no to 0844!
Reply #71 - Mar 16^th, 2013 at 12:59pm

It is very good news that yet another surgery is reverting to a geographic number albeit belatedly. However, one must wonder why both the local newspaper and the PCT have to reveal themselves as so incompetent and ignorant.

First, the "Thanet Gazette" makes this statement in their report :--

"NHS contracts place conditions on call rates, but do not ban above-local-call rate levels." How wrong can they be? The one specific thing the NHS contracts do is to ban "above local call rates" using the wording that calls which cost more than a normal geographic rate must NOT be used. In addition Ministers have made their intentions absolutely clear stating in the House on numerous occasions that GPs must stop using higher call charge numbers.

We then get a quotation from the local NHS (PCT) :---

NHS spokesman Stephen Watkins said: "We agree that patients should not pay more to call their GP practice than they would to make calls to a local number."
These expensive numbers have been prohibited for three years now but all the PCT can say is "we agree".
Pathetic. Sad

They then go on to say that, having failed abysmally to meet their responsibilities, the current wave of changes by GPs is nothing to do with them as the GPs are doing it under their own initiative. "However, the small number of Thanet practices who still have 084 numbers are currently transferring to the cheaper 0184 local tariff under their own initiative."

Again pathetic. Sad

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« Last Edit: Mar 16^th, 2013 at 1:03pm by loddon »

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