Many have indicated interest in a list of those GPs who have recently gone over to 084 numbers.

A new item has been added to my database, showing those who were using geographic numbers at the time when I prepared my database (from NHS Choices in May 2011) but are now using 084 numbers.

It is available to view as Recent Additions - England.

Whilst this may provide an indication of the rate at which adoption of 084 numbers is continuing, it does not provide anything like a complete list of those who have adopted them since the contractual requirement prohibiting new arrangements came into force on 1 April 2010.

The deadline of 31 March 2011, was for those with such numbers already in use on 1 April 2010 to complete the necessary variation of their arrangements.

Oh ... and a Happy Chistmas to all readers and contributors to the Forum.

Pity he didn't call on GPs to end ‘rip off’ charges for phoning surgeries, when he was in the government, rather than in opposition.

sherbert wrote on Dec 28^th, 2011 at 10:57am:

You have a point. I have no note of him addressing this issue when he was personally holding the relevant brief as shadow Secretary of State for Health.

It is however fair to say that the responsible ministers from both governments have made very clear calls for the 'rip off' to end. In neither case however have they recognised, or done, what is necessary to make it happen.

Mr Healey may have been slow to recognise the importance of this issue, however I am happy to welcome any repentant sinner to join our cause. As a backbench MP he is now free to focus on any issue of concern to his constituents. The opposition front bench Health team have enough trouble coping with the principles that they have followed being taken to their natural conclusion. He suffered terribly with this and Andy Burnham continues to suffer.

It could be that learning of his place on this list played some part in encouraging him to look at this information. The Barnsley percentage may have been mistaken, however the canniness of the characteristic Yorkshire GP is clear for all to see.

derrick wrote on Dec 14^th, 2011 at 11:29am:



Looks like they have been complained about to the ASA, this is the letter I have just received after reporting them in mid December:-

"WALLINGBROOK HEALTH CENTRE

Thank you for contacting the Advertising Standards Authority.

We’ve already investigated and upheld complaints about this issue and I’m concerned to hear that advertising like this continues.  I’ve therefore passed the case to our Compliance team, which will follow it up.

The Compliance team doesn’t report to complainants or publish the details of its work but it will address the problem. 

Sometimes the Compliance team finds it more difficult to impose effective sanctions against this category of advertisement.  Nevertheless it will do its best to achieve a positive outcome.  When an advertiser refuses to co-operate fully with the Compliance team it can, for misleading ads, consider referring the matter to the Office of Fair Trading.

Our website, www.asa.org.uk, contains information about the ASA and the work we do, including the results of investigations into other complaints.

Yours sincerely

West Yorkshire makes it into the news. Also a plug for SayNoTo0870.com - wait for it!

Listen to extracts from BBC Radio Leeds at this link.

More is scheduled to follow on BBC Radio Leeds at 5:40 this afternoon.

It is hoped that this may provide an opportunity to contradict some of the nonsense broadcast earlier.

---

The further item did go ahead as planned, although it over-ran a little.

This contains an introduction, an extended recorded interview and a live response - listen at this link.

Readers can be assured that this matter will be followed up vigorously.

Holbrook surgery in West Sussex http://www.holbrooksurgery.com/ still uses them, don't think it is just you Yorkshire folk that are being stitched up

bazzerfewi wrote on Jan 15^th, 2012 at 1:58pm:

There are currently 22 surgeries using 084 numbers serving Barnsley PCT. As only 1 is using a 0844 number and the other 21 are all under a collective arrangement with Kingston Communications, it is not totally absurd to believe that they will all have moved to geographic numbers by 5 April (or 31 March).

It must be pointed out that they had a contractual notice period of 12 months within which to take reasonable steps to ensure that callers paid no more than the cost of an equivalent call to a geographic number to contact the practice. That notice period expired on 31 March 2011. I believe that Mr Jarvis should have asked the PCT for confirmation that the steps which they are able to take now were not considered reasonable then and that other steps were properly considered at that time.

Mr Jarvis shows no regard for constituents who take telephone service from Virgin Media as they are commonly surcharged more severely than PAYG mobile users, if one looks at the matter in purely proportionate terms. With the current (probably temporary) perverse call charges for 0845 numbers, there are currently some mobile callers who are enjoying a saving when calling 0845 numbers. (See this table.)

This is however a temporary blip whilst a dispute with BT is pursued - I cannot believe that it will be sustained. We must be on our guard for those who may seek to use this odd and wholly exceptional situation improperly.