Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register
SAYNOTO0870.COM

<---- Back to main website

 
Home Help Search Login Register

Pages: 1 2 
Send Topic Print
Dr Fry & Partner Surgery, Chislehurst, Kent (Read 34,660 times)
nudger
Newbie
*
Offline



Posts: 4
Dr Fry & Partner Surgery, Chislehurst, Kent
Jun 28th, 2005 at 3:57pm
 
alternative number please?
Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 17th, 2005 at 12:16pm by Dave »  
 
IP Logged
 
Dave
Global Moderator
*****
Offline



Posts: 9,902
Yorkshire
Gender: male
Re: Dr Fry & Partner Surgery, Chislehurst, Kent
Reply #1 - Jun 28th, 2005 at 4:53pm
 
[quote author=nudger  link=1119970668/0#0 date=1119970668]alternative number please?[/quote]
020 8467 ???? or 020 8468 ????
Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 17th, 2005 at 12:11pm by Dave »  
 
IP Logged
 
gbtillies
Junior Member
**
Offline


Quietly does it.........

Posts: 89
Re: Dr Fry & Partner Surgery, Chislehurst, Kent
Reply #2 - Jun 28th, 2005 at 4:54pm
 
So much information to go on! 

Could you possibly be talking about this surgery? 

Dr FRY & partners
42 High Street, Chislehurst, Kent, BR7 5AQ
Tel: 020 8467 5551


Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 17th, 2005 at 12:12pm by Dave »  
 
IP Logged
 
nudger
Newbie
*
Offline



Posts: 4
Re: Dr Fry & Partner Surgery, Chislehurst, Kent
Reply #3 - Jun 28th, 2005 at 4:56pm
 
that's the one!
Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 17th, 2005 at 12:12pm by Dave »  
 
IP Logged
 
gbtillies
Junior Member
**
Offline


Quietly does it.........

Posts: 89
Re: Dr Fry & Partner Surgery, Chislehurst, Kent
Reply #4 - Jun 28th, 2005 at 4:58pm
 
Can I ask what the number was that you had?  Presumably an 0870 or 0845 or 0844? 

If you get through on the number I have supplied, can you please add the details to the unverified listings, using the Surgery Name as well as address.

Thanks

Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 17th, 2005 at 12:12pm by Dave »  
 
IP Logged
 
nudger
Newbie
*
Offline



Posts: 4
Re: Dr Fry & Partner Surgery, Chislehurst, Kent
Reply #5 - Jun 29th, 2005 at 8:00am
 
0844 477 8989
Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 17th, 2005 at 12:12pm by Dave »  
 
IP Logged
 
NFH
Newbie
*
Offline



Posts: 46
Re: Dr Fry & Partner Surgery, Chislehurst, Kent
Reply #6 - Jun 29th, 2005 at 6:45pm
 
The 020 8467 5551 and 020 8467 8467 5669 numbers now give a BT-generated message asking you to redial on 0844 477 8989.

What a coincidence you should be asking about this surgery. I first complained to Chislehurst Medical Practice on 4th June 2005 about the 0844 number, but did not get much of an explanation. Therefore on 9th June, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I requested from Chislehurst Medical Practice their geographic number and how much of the 0844 premium they receive from NEG. Chislehurst Medical Practice replied on 22nd June 2005 saying that the practice did not hold this information. On 26th June 2005, I explained to them how they could obtain the information and I requested an internal review under the FOI. I threatened to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's office if they did not comply. I await their reponse and shall publish the geographic number here, as soon as I know it.

Nudger, please contact me via the e-mail address on my web site. As you're obviously another local resident, we should discuss this further.
Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 17th, 2005 at 12:12pm by Dave »  
 
IP Logged
 
nudger
Newbie
*
Offline



Posts: 4
Re: Dr Fry & Partner Surgery, Chislehurst, Kent
Reply #7 - Jun 30th, 2005 at 7:55am
 
hihi
well i'm doing this on behalf of my wife..i heard about this website so thought i would give it a go.
another example of rip-off britain..good luck obtaining the number.
Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 17th, 2005 at 12:13pm by Dave »  
 
IP Logged
 
NFH
Newbie
*
Offline



Posts: 46
Re: Dr Fry & Partner Surgery, Chislehurst, Kent
Reply #8 - Jul 6th, 2005 at 7:53pm
 
I have had another reply from Chislehurst Medical Practice. All my comments and questions are in bold. Their responses are in normal font.

I asked these first two questions not under the FOI, as they were requests for justification, not for specific information.

2. I omitted to mention that 0844 numbers cannot normally be dialled from other European Union countries or from any other country.  This affects those on holiday and business trips who need to contact the practice to make an appointment in advance for when they return to the UK.  It also prevents doctors outside the UK from contacting the practice, for example when a UK patient is unexpectedly receiving treatment abroad.  In light of this, please justify your sole use of an 0844 number with no alternative from non-BT networks.


In response to point (2) our telephone number for dialling the practice from abroad is 0870 4299783.

3. Do you agree that when patients call your 0844 number, patients are funding the cost of your new telephone system?

In response to point (3), we do not agree with your statement.  Of course this revenue contributes towards some of the costs of the system, but the main cost is borne by the practice.  Our decision to replace and the choice of system was made in the interests of our patients and improving our service to them.  We have received positive feedback from patients that the service is both user friendly and provides much improved access to the surgery.

I asked the following questions as a request for an internal review under the FOI:

4. As I have mentioned before, all non-geographic numbers (e.g. 0844) route to an underlying geographic number (e.g. 020).  Therefore in order to receive calls via NEG's 0844 number, Chislehurst Medical Practice needs to rent normal telephone lines from a physical line provider such as BT.  These physical lines installed in your building will have at least one geographic telephone number starting 020.  It is this telephone number that I have requested from you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.  Because you rent these physical telephone lines, you know their telephone number(s).  The number(s) appear on the practice’s telephone bill and you have to supply the number(s) to NEG in order for them to set up the routing of the 0844 number to the 020 number(s).  Failing that, using the practice’s main line, you could try dialling 17070 free of charge to hear the line’s number or alternatively dial 1470 followed by your mobile number and see what number appears on your mobile’s display.  I do not accept that the information is not held by the practice, as it is available to you by a number of means.


With respect to point (4) Chislehurst Medical Practice does not rent the line from BT, it is owned by NEG.  NEG have not indicated to us the 020 router number which you have requested, therefore we do not hold this information.

6. I can well understand if you do not know how much of the 0844 premium that NEG receives, but my question clearly related both to you and to your service provider (NEG).  Please therefore state how much per minute Chislehurst Medical Practice receives from NEG as a share of the 0844 premium.  If the figure is zero, then please state this.  I do not accept that the information is not held by the practice, as you must know how much revenue you receive.

With respect to point (6) we do not hold a written contract stating the rate of call sharing.  However having contacted NEG we are told it will be 2p per minute.

Chislehurst Medical Practice have offered to have a meeting with me to resolve this.
Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 17th, 2005 at 12:13pm by Dave »  
 
IP Logged
 
Dave
Global Moderator
*****
Offline



Posts: 9,902
Yorkshire
Gender: male
Re: Dr Fry & Partner Surgery, Chislehurst, Kent
Reply #9 - Jul 6th, 2005 at 8:22pm
 
Quote:
3. Do you agree that when patients call your 0844 number, patients are funding the cost of your new telephone system?
In response to point (3), we do not agree with your statement.  Of course this revenue contributes towards some of the costs of the system, but the main cost is borne by the practice.  Our decision to replace and the choice of system was made in the interests of our patients and improving our service to them.  We have received positive feedback from patients that the service is both user friendly and provides much improved access to the surgery.

Of course, this contradicts itself. "The main cost is borne by the practice," so what about the rest? The revenue from the 0844 doesn't pay for it, or does it? ???

Quote:
With respect to point (6) we do not hold a written contract stating the rate of call sharing.  However having contacted NEG we are told it will be 2p per minute.

From the FOI reply from the Department of Health posted in this thread, it appears that most surgeries receive 2p/min, but that that revenue goes straight back to NEG to pay for the 'system'!
Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 17th, 2005 at 12:13pm by Dave »  
 
IP Logged
 
NFH
Newbie
*
Offline



Posts: 46
Re: Dr Fry & Partner Surgery, Chislehurst, Kent
Reply #10 - Jul 25th, 2005 at 7:38pm
 
Please be aware that Chislehurst Medical Practice have discovered this thread and they are far from thrilled about me posting their FOI responses here. This thread intermittently appears on Google, so I am guessing other patients discovered it and raised the issue with the practice. For the benefit of those who arrived at this page from a search engine:

SUMMARY

In early 2005, Chislehurst Medical Practice disconnected its 020 8467 5551 and 020 8467 5669 numbers and replaced them with 0844 477 8989. From a BT line, this new 0844 number costs at least 67% more than a normal local/national call, because it is a revenue-generating number. Chislehurst Medical Practice receives 2p per minute for all incoming calls from patients on its 0844 number, which the practice puts towards its own telecommunication expenses. The 0844 number cannot be dialled from some types of UK phone line or from most lines outside the UK. This is particularly problematic if you are travelling outside the UK, and you or a foreign doctor need to contact the practice, for example in an emergency.
Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 17th, 2005 at 12:13pm by Dave »  
 
IP Logged
 
bigjohn
Supreme Member
*****
Offline



Posts: 2,316
Gender: male
Re: Dr Fry & Partner Surgery, Chislehurst, Kent
Reply #11 - Jul 25th, 2005 at 9:20pm
 
NFH.
You might like to add the actual cost of dialling it is 5p a minute from a landline,and from other providers it can be dearer eg OneTel.5.50p a min.

Also that it is even more expensive to call from a payphone,and from mobiles eg someone on O2 payg online would have to pay 35p a min to ring it at peak rate.
(I thought the Govt were suppose to be making the Health Service more accessible!!!!).
Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 17th, 2005 at 12:13pm by Dave »  

BJ.
 
IP Logged
 
NFH
Newbie
*
Offline



Posts: 46
Re: Dr Fry & Partner Surgery, Chislehurst, Kent
Reply #12 - Jul 31st, 2005 at 12:25pm
 
After I recently drew the attention of Chislehurst Medical Practice to their contact details listed at http://www.nhs.uk/england/doctors/Summary.aspx?orgcode=G84010&prmid=BR7+5AQ^1, they have quickly updated this page and additionally introduced an 0844 fax number (although they have listed their 0844 phone and fax numbers the wrong way round). The existing 020 8468 7658 is still answered by a fax machine, and I am guessing that the new 0844 8840134 fax number either routes to 020 8468 7658 or it is possibly a separate fax-to-email service. I doubt they will disconnect their 020 fax number, because when sending a fax, it cannot be guaranteed that the sender would hear a network message announcing the new number, and such a disconnection would cause confusion and disruption.
Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 17th, 2005 at 12:14pm by Dave »  
 
IP Logged
 
Thog
Newbie
*
Offline



Posts: 1
Re: Dr Fry & Partner Surgery, Chislehurst, Kent
Reply #13 - Jul 31st, 2005 at 11:39pm
 
As someone who sometimes advises the Department of Health and NHS, I am horrified that public authorities of any kind use these numbers.

I checked and found that an old colleague of mine now has a top position at the Department of Health as Head of Primary Care and that he has banned the use of 0870 and 0871 numbers by GPs and that other numbers, such as 0844 are being reviewed.

In this case, I would suggest that you write to the Chief Executive of the Primary Care Trust (which is responsible for the GP's NHS work) drawing attention to the Department of Health's letter and asking him/her to review the GP practice's use of these numbers.

I have included the URL below, but the Department does tend to move its web pages about. I would have attached the letter as a link, but I don't know how to do that.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/LettersAndCirculars/DearColleague...
Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 17th, 2005 at 12:14pm by Dave »  
 
IP Logged
 
Heinz
Supreme Member
*****
Offline



Posts: 1,362
Essex
Re: Dr Fry & Partner Surgery, Chislehurst, Kent
Reply #14 - Aug 1st, 2005 at 10:55am
 
Nice to have you on board Thog and thanks for the link.

Please have a read of at least a couple of (long) threads to see what members here see as the problems which need to be addressed.

First, there's THIS THREAD about GPs' use of 0870/0844 numbers.

Second, there's THIS THREAD about 49p/minute Patentline (and similar) telephony etc..

If you get the chance when advising the NHS, tell them about THE REAL WORLD where people have to budget their own money and not the government world where taxpayers' money (not 'government' money as it's frequently called in/on the media) is spent without thought for the consequences.
Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 17th, 2005 at 12:15pm by Dave »  

After years of ignoring govt. guidelines & RIPPING OFF Council Tax payers using 0845 numbers, Essex County Council changed to 0345 numbers on 2 November 2015
WWW  
IP Logged
 
Pages: 1 2 
Send Topic Print
(Moderators: DaveM, Dave, Forum Admin, bbb_uk, CJT-80)

Website and Content © 1999-2024 SAYNOTO0870.COM. All Rights Reserved.
Written permission is required to duplicate any of the content within this site.

WARNING: This is an open forum, posts are NOT endorsed by SAYNOTO0870.COM,
please exercise due caution when acting on any info from here.


SAYNOTO0870.COM » Powered by YaBB 2.5.2!
YaBB Forum Software © 2000-2024. All Rights Reserved.


Valid RSS Valid XHTML Valid CSS Powered by Perl Source Forge