SAYNOTO0870.COM - Doctors' phone line use reviewed

loddon

Supreme Member

Offline

Posts: 599
Reading UK
Gender: male

Re: Doctors' phone line use reviewed - DH consulta
Reply #270 - Mar 30^th, 2010 at 11:28am

THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT

.

I would like to ask a general question of all readers and contributors to this Forum who have a particular interest in the problem of doctors (GPs) using 0845 and 0844 numbers.

Some assiduous people have managed to find out the geographic number which lies behind their own GP's much disliked 0844 and 0845. I ask all of you who are lucky enough to be able to use an alternative geographic number HOW WELL DOES IT WORK FOR YOU?
Have you noticed any differences between when you use the geo number and when you use the 084 number?
Have you found any particular problems?
Have you found any improvements or benefits?
Is the phone answered any differently when you use the geo number?

This is a terribly important matter and I hope as many people as possible will respond. We really need to get as much information as possible on this. If anybody wishes they are most welcome to respond to me by private message if they do not want to say things in the open Forum.

All feedback and information will be treated confidentially if you ask, and will be invalualble to us in our ongoing campaign about GP's numbers.

Please respond as fully as you can and MANY THANKS for your help.

Best wishes to all NHS patients in their battle to avoid 084 numbers.

Back to top

« Last Edit: Mar 30^th, 2010 at 1:22pm by loddon »

IP Logged

Dave

Global Moderator

Offline

Posts: 9,902
Yorkshire
Gender: male

Re: Doctors' phone line use reviewed - DH consulta
Reply #271 - May 12^th, 2010 at 11:39am

Source: Burnley Express

http://www.burnleyexpress.net/pendleletters/April-30th-Russian-medal-dog.6278431...

Quote:

Choice, please
Regarding the Colne Times article concerning use of 0844 numbers at the Richmond Court GP Practice in Colne.

Calls to 0844 numbers cost 10p a minute. You may not consider this exorbitant but remember the reason for using these numbers is to generate income. The call is answered and you are placed in a queue of callers. You may then have to wait five or 10 minutes or, like an acquaintance of mine, 20 minutes!

Previously, patients may have complained they could not get through to the surgery as the line was always busy. At least then, one had the choice of hanging up and trying again at no extra cost. Now you get through every time and are left hanging there while the meter ticks.

No, 10p isn't much if you've got it. But those who may have to ring the surgery more than others are frequently elderly people on a pension, families with children and other vulnerable groups on low incomes. It is manipulative and an unnecessary burden. Could we at least have the choice of calling a regular number or the 0844 number?

"IMPATIENT PATIENT" (Name and address supplied)

Back to top

IP Logged

SilentCallsVictim

Supreme Member

Offline

aka NHS.Patient, DH_fairtelecoms

Posts: 2,494

Re: Doctors' phone line use reviewed - DH consulta
Reply #272 - May 12^th, 2010 at 12:52pm

Dave wrote on May 12^th, 2010 at 11:39am:

Source: Burnley Express

http://www.burnleyexpress.net/pendleletters/April-30th-Russian-medal-dog.6278431...

Quote:

Choice, please
Regarding the Colne Times article concerning use of 0844 numbers at the Richmond Court GP Practice in Colne.

Calls to 0844 numbers cost 10p a minute. You may not consider this exorbitant but remember the reason for using these numbers is to generate income. The call is answered and you are placed in a queue of callers. You may then have to wait five or 10 minutes or, like an acquaintance of mine, 20 minutes!

Previously, patients may have complained they could not get through to the surgery as the line was always busy. At least then, one had the choice of hanging up and trying again at no extra cost. Now you get through every time and are left hanging there while the meter ticks.

No, 10p isn't much if you've got it. But those who may have to ring the surgery more than others are frequently elderly people on a pension, families with children and other vulnerable groups on low incomes. It is manipulative and an unnecessary burden. Could we at least have the choice of calling a regular number or the 0844 number?

"IMPATIENT PATIENT" (Name and address supplied)

The original article referred to is - Colne Health Centre 084 phone number query

I understand that the PCT has distributed the contract revisions.

(There is a new thread for this topic - GP contract revised - "expensive" numbers banned)

Back to top

@fairtelecoms (tweets)

IP Logged

SilentCallsVictim

Supreme Member

Offline

aka NHS.Patient, DH_fairtelecoms

Posts: 2,494

Re: Doctors' phone line use reviewed - DH consulta
Reply #273 - Jun 9^th, 2010 at 12:19am

SilentCallsVictim wrote on Dec 24^th, 2009 at 2:21am:

Members may be interested to note that the Directions to NHS bodies referred to in the September 14 Statement were issued on Monday afternoon.

The formal directions accompanied a "Dear colleague" letter.

As this issue is distinct from that of GPs in the way in which it is being handled, there could be an argument for starting a new thread. There were however many postings in this thread in response to that quoted above.

The first public declaration of a failure to properly comply with these Directions has now appeared, just before half way into the period within which action is required. I refer to this and comment at even more than normal length in this blog posting.

Members may wish to follow the common pattern of copying chunks of the NHS Devon Statement into the forum for all to comment.

Whilst I address the NHS Devon statement in detail, I am most concerned about getting Ofcom to support the Department of Health in bringing an end to the nonsense, of which this is just one example. In an odd way, I am very grateful to NHS Devon for having helped to bring this into the open.

I hope that other campaigning members will join me in putting pressure on Ofcom to issue some clear statement of the status quo, regardless of what it may be planning for the future.

Back to top

@fairtelecoms (tweets)

IP Logged

SilentCallsVictim Supreme Member Offline aka NHS.Patient, DH_fairtelecoms Posts: 2,494	Re: Doctors' phone line use reviewed - DH consulta Reply #274 - Jun 11^th, 2010 at 6:55pm SilentCallsVictim wrote on Jun 11^th, 2010 at 6:54pm: The topic of GPs using 084 numbers was raised in the Scottish Parliament yesterday - http://www.theyworkforyou.com/sp/?id=2010-06-10.27207.0&s=084+OR+0844+OR+0845#g2....
Back to top	@fairtelecoms (tweets) IP Logged