Our doctor's surgery has recently downgraded to a 0844 number.   Does anyone know if there is an alternative to 08444773400 for this otherwise excellent practice.   It annoys me to have to use a premium rate number for calls to the surgery which really should be free like all my other landline calls.

Welcome.

Please see this sticky.

I'm afraid your surgery is one of many that have been persuaded to change their number so they can have a new telephone equipment.

This new number will cost you more and in some cases your surgery could even be getting money from it.

The best I can suggest is you write to them and say how discraceful you think this is that they should choose a number that costs their patients more money and in some cases can cost upto 40pence per minute from some mobile networks.  Also state that many patients have inclusive call allowances and that in 99% of the cases, calls to 0844 are excluded because they cost more than a geographical and earn the company that owns the 0844, which in this case is NEG Plc money, and in some cases the surgery as well.

You could also complain to the Department of Health, etc.

What will have happened is that the surgery will have been told that their new number (and telephone system) will benefit patients and the cost of the call is local or lo-call.  This, I'm afraid, is misleading.