Hello everyone, I'm a journalist and am wondering whether anyone has made a request to the NHS or NHS direct, asking them to reveal how much money they're earning from those lines? I did search using NHS but couldnt' see anything. Anyone?

Please refer to this thread on an FoI request to NHS Direct.  You will see that they say they receive no revenue from their 0845 number.

This (very long) thread on Patientline discusses the problems with Patientline / NHS contracts, and what the NHS may indirectly get out of it.

This thread discusses the (ab)use of 08xx numbers for GP surgeries and has links to other theads on the subject.

Hope these are of some help.

martinlorenzo wrote on Mar 29^th, 2006 at 1:34pm:

Hello everyone, I'm a journalist and am wondering whether anyone has made a request to the NHS or NHS direct, asking them to reveal how much money they're earning from those lines? I did search using NHS but couldnt' see anything. Anyone?

And please use large print when you expose the scams in your newspaper or magazine (BTW, the rip-off charges patients have to pay and the profits made by NEG and the like at their expense [pun intended] are the real issues).

There is a reply somewhere that says that the DVLA earns well over £1m a year from its 0870 numbers. See Index of FOI Responses.

Have a look at Useful Information & Say no to 0870! Hot Topics for some useful links.