A sensible idea Barbara.

A new surgery in Lewes has joined the 084 co-payment club. Riverlodge and Ringmer Surgeries now charge patients a fee to speak on the telephone (as well as charging them the premium to sit in a queue).

Meanwhile, in Chigwell, a lady was unable to speak to her GP due to the prohibitive cost of ringing his 0844 premium number from her pay as you go mobile:

CHIGWELL: Seriously ill patient unable to afford premium rate call charge

CJT-80 wrote on Jun 30^th, 2011 at 10:21pm:

The old River Lodge number has gone, the Ringmer one will follow soon.


What did "your" PCT say about compliance with clause 29B of the GMS contract?

If you send me the details, I will offer some training for them.

CJT-80 wrote on Jul 1^st, 2011 at 10:08am:

The GMS contract (approved by parliament) is the basis for the relationship between a GP and the NHS - it is enforced by PCTs.

Clause 29B was added in April 2010. See - Standard General Medical Services contract.

Quote:

It goes on to require the Contractor to take the necessary steps to cease use of a prohibited telephone number. As all network telephone companies allow immediate migration from 084 to 034 numbers at any point during the term of the arrangement there is no case where a practice could not comply.

Some PCTs are eventually starting to catch on to the fact that some practices have failed to properly "review the arrangement". They have either failed to do so at all (following advice from the BMA) or are clearly seen to have made a mistaken determination.

Most PCTs would have no good reason to suspect that GPs would fail to perform the duties demanded of them, or would do so improperly. They have had to draw on assistance from friends who have pointed this out to them. I was wondering if "your PCT" could be in need of such assistance.

Barbara wrote on Jul 1^st, 2011 at 5:09pm:

Anyone providing NHS services must accept that "the arrangement as a whole" is a simple recognition that the NHS is a universal service.

The "whole" means including all parts, all patients, not just a subset who perhaps choose a particular telephone service provider and Call Plan [and then breach the terms of that Call Plan by making geographic calls during times when it does not apply, thereby incurring penalty charges]. (The latter, bracketed, part only applies to 0844, not 0845, numbers.)

There is nothing whatsoever in the clear terms that refers to anything other than what "persons" actually pay to call the NHS Provider, as against the cost of an equivalent call to a geographic number. "Equivalent" can only mean under the terms of the same service from the same provider. It is the reality of the situation which is addressed, not some assumed "norm". It is totally wrong for anyone to suggest that the wholly anomalous case of BT, which originates only 25% of non-business UK calls, is in any way representative of the general position.

The essential wording quoted above is also found in the Directions to NHS Bodies, which apply to hospitals (and also those few GPs subject to a PMS contract).

(If anything interesting is happening with Chase Farm since I was last involved, or perhaps you have found another, please drop me a message.)

Dave wrote on Jul 1^st, 2011 at 6:21pm:

... it has also been going through something of a crisis regarding its future ...

An update on the situation in South Yorkshire:

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/health/deadline_for_gps_phones_1_3552523

The response sent to Sheffield LINk (Local Involvement Network) says that the PCT is giving surgeries until the end of July to switch back geographic-charging numbers.

Dave wrote on Jul 15^th, 2011 at 9:54am:

And that Dr Taylor is, at best, in error or misinformed.

But I'm sure he won't worry too much whilst he continues to bank the share of the extra charges his NHS patents have to pay.

FREE AT THE POINT OF USE.