I had a small smile to myself when Hywel Dda referred to "returning to the 01646 exchange". The surgery is now and always has been on the 01646 exchange, Simply put - the real number is masked, and it seems clear that LHBs are out of their depth on this, and maybe a matter such as this should be dealt with centrally by people who actually have a clue.

warweezil wrote on Sep 28^th, 2012 at 8:26pm:

There is a news release from the Health Board about this:

New Phone Numbers At The Argyle Medical Group

Again, some excellent remarks from catj.

I do want to add some comments on one point.

catj wrote on Oct 30^th, 2012 at 7:20pm:

Incurring the considerable expense of using a non-geographic number so as to enable unlimited queuing is not necessarily a sound decision for a GP surgery.

There is a limit to the length of time that people will be content to wait to get through (even if they are not paying for the call). Acquiring sufficient lines to enable a reasonable queueing time (= number of waiting callers) is a perfectly proper approach for an operation as small as a GP practice.


The 03 argument applies specifically to those who are committed to a contract from a particular provider and using a system which depends on use of non-geographic numbers. Migration to the equivalent 034 number is the "reasonable step" demanded of them by the terms of their NHS contract.

If the provider in question believes that a solution based on a non-geographic number is genuinely a sensible cost-effective option for NHS GPs, then let it make its case. If it relies on the Service Charge, then it is, as it always was, unsuitable for the NHS.

(The migration to 03 proposal was not only a practical option, it was a way of flushing out an answer to the question of whether 0844 numbers had been chosen for the technical or financial benefits.)


If this practice (and others) is seeking to imply that it cannot provide adequate telephone access without subsidy from patients, then let us have that argument out in the open.

There may be some of the 90% of NHS GPs who do not use non-geographic numbers who are providing inadequate access by telephone. I do not believe that it is every one of them! Where are the other providers of small business telephone systems?

My GP has never changed from an 01 number (I did send a pre-emptive email warning of the furore such a move would ignite).

As a result, trying to phone at 8:30am - the time at which the surgery's answering machine is switched off - often results in getting the (free) engaged tone. 

Pressing of the LNR button is all that is required to try again though (and, if necessary, pressing LNR and hanging up in quick succession as necessary normally gets you through within 2 minutes).

I don't consider the surgery (6 doctors) is providing an inadequate telephone service for patients.