SAYNOTO0870.COM - GPs all over England (not just in South Yorkshire)

JoeCurry

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Re: Doctors Surgeries
Reply #375 - Jun 4^th, 2010 at 2:18pm

JoeCurry wrote on Jun 3^rd, 2010 at 5:49pm:

Dave wrote on Apr 24^th, 2010 at 10:42pm:

JoeCurry wrote on Apr 24^th, 2010 at 3:31pm:

My surgery (Carmondean Medical Group, Livingston) are receiving some £1000 from it's 0844 number (Not sure if that's monthly or per annum) The surgery
reckons the number is more efficient and some twaffle about BT not willing to supply more lines. I have been chasing them and my elected representatives from the day this 0844 number was installed. I'm afraid we have an uphill struggle on our hands. Perhaps OFCOM should get involved?

You posted a request previously for help to find the number of your surgery. I asked you for more information, but you haven't been forthcoming. Do you not want help finding the number anymore? Huh

Sorry Dave..Yes of course.. I have been given 01506 630031 from another source..it was the last geo number used by the surgery.. It does get answered but no identification is given..could it be for staff only?

Another update.. my MSP has extracted a geo number from The Carmondean Medical Group which actually reaches
their front desk..it's 01506839348..but when you dial it rings and rings, are they deliberately ignoring it?

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Dave Global Moderator Offline Posts: 9,902 Yorkshire Gender:	Re: Doctors Surgeries Reply #376 - Jul 23^rd, 2010 at 11:22am @malc_b, I have moved the postings about Hathaway to their own thread here and I've asked you a question. Click here to be notified when a response is posted at the new location. This posting will be removed once malc_b has had time to read it.
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malikajk Newbie Offline Posts: 1	Re: Doctors Surgeries Reply #377 - Aug 25^th, 2010 at 2:31am hi i am new to this. my surgery has installed 08444772451. any cure for that. its primrose surgery in bradford.
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CJT-80 Global Moderator Offline Posts: 1,713 Manchester Gender:	Re: Doctors Surgeries Reply #378 - Aug 25^th, 2010 at 10:53am Hello Malikajk, As has been previously suggested finding an 01/02 number for Dr's who have changed over to 0844 can be very hard. Do you have any old appointment cards or leaflets which give numbers before the change over? Might be worth calling them, to see if they work.
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Dave Global Moderator Offline Posts: 9,902 Yorkshire Gender:	Re: Doctors Surgeries Reply #379 - Aug 25^th, 2010 at 1:00pm malikajk wrote on Aug 25^th, 2010 at 2:31am: hi i am new to this. my surgery has installed 08444772451. any cure for that. its primrose surgery in bradford. Welcome to SAYNOTO0870.COM. Please start a new thread in the Requests section with some information on this surgery, including the address as listed on the NHS website.
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Caiptean

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Re: Doctors Surgeries
Reply #380 - Sep 15^th, 2010 at 4:19pm

Having orchestrated a successful campaign several years ago to rid owr local GP practice of 0870 I am dismayed to visit this site and still find surgeries using 0844 /0845 numbers.

May I suggest the following course of action that we were about to follow had our GP not reverted to a geographical number.

Within the GP's contract with the PCT is a clause (144 I seem to recall) that effectively states GPs may not charge for medical advice. So if you telephone the surgery on a chargeable number (0844 /0870) and ask (for example) 'I'm an elderly person so should I have a flu jab?' and the surgery says 'Yes' then you have been charged for medical advice. Accordingly the surgery is in breach of contract with the PCT.

I'd be interested to learn of any successful challenges va this route....

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bazzerfewi Supreme Member Offline Baz Posts: 580 Barnsley Gender:	Re: Doctors Surgeries Reply #381 - Sep 15^th, 2010 at 6:44pm If I recall the last government stated in parliament that doctors were in breach of their contract if they use premium rate numbers
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sherbert Supreme Member Offline Posts: 2,011 Gender:	Re: Doctors Surgeries Reply #382 - Sep 16^th, 2010 at 11:38am 0870 numbers are inclusive in some packages, especially B.T., so you may have 'shot yourself in the foot' (Now you will need to phone a 0844 number to get your foot fixed! )
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Dave

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Re: Doctors Surgeries
Reply #383 - Sep 16^th, 2010 at 12:17pm

sherbert wrote on Sep 16^th, 2010 at 11:38am:

0870 numbers are inclusive in some packages, especially B.T., so you may have 'shot yourself in the foot' Huh

sherbert does make a good point, although I suspect that even if 0870 hadn't been outlawed in the NHS in 2005, that the loss of subsidy on 0870 numbers last year would have resulted in GPs switching to 0844 anyway.

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« Last Edit: Sep 16^th, 2010 at 12:18pm by Dave »

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Caiptean

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Re: Doctors Surgeries
Reply #384 - Sep 17^th, 2010 at 12:39am

The point on inclusive call packages is noted. These packages were not around when I was campaigning.

Even now not all call packages include 0870 or 0844.

However, the primary issue is one of does the practice receive any income from callers?

Unless there is some means of screening the call or staff are instructed not to give medical advice on the phone (very difficult to achieve) then it is almost enivitable that a patient will be charged...

As for public bodies (such as my County Council) I gained their geographical numbers through an FoI request.

Good luck!

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bazzerfewi

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Re: Doctors Surgeries
Reply #385 - Sep 17^th, 2010 at 12:42am

Surely the way to go would be to ban all 08 numbers as all Doctors surgeries are in the patients local area and they could not make the excuse that the calls are easier to manage.

And if they were to use 03 numbers this problem would not arise

Yes BT has decided to include some 08 numbers but Virgin have not and I susped other providers haven't either

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Dave

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Re: Doctors Surgeries
Reply #386 - Sep 17^th, 2010 at 6:49am

Caiptean wrote on Sep 17^th, 2010 at 12:39am:

The point on inclusive call packages is noted. These packages were not around when I was campaigning.

Even now not all call packages include 0870 or 0844.

But including revenue sharing numbers in packages (i.e. so they are zero fee) is in no way the answer. It is also extremely likely that it will never happen.

Caiptean wrote on Sep 17^th, 2010 at 12:39am:

However, the primary issue is one of does the practice receive any income from callers?

The primary issue is whether the practice receives subsidy. "Income" can be denied where it is not paid money directly, but all users of 084x revenue sharing benefit from subsidy from callers as a result of their choice of number.

Any revenue share payments, or "income", come about as a result of the subsidy and are therefore cash-back for the service the practice receives from its telephone company.

Read more on this in my blog: How do 084x numbers work?

Caiptean wrote on Sep 17^th, 2010 at 12:39am:

As for public bodies (such as my County Council) I gained their geographical numbers through an FoI request.

I hope that they are listed as verified in the SAYNOTO0870 database.

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« Last Edit: Sep 17^th, 2010 at 6:51am by Dave »

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derrick

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Re: Doctors Surgeries
Reply #387 - Oct 28^th, 2010 at 11:50am

derrick wrote on Mar 31^st, 2010 at 11:27am:

My surgery still has the geo number it had before they introduced their 0844 number, in fact it is on some, (?), doctors prescriptions! and on their website, although in the practice they have a scrolling board with various info on it including the "new" 0844 number.

I use the geo number when I need to phone them so cannot comment on how the 0844 works.

When I use the geo number it is answered pretty quickly by a human with them saying hello then the name of the practice, I then can ask whatever I like really, including booking an appointment.

So all in all it works well for me.

The Park Medical centre has moved premises, (about half a mile), it has changed the name to Cottam Lane surgery, although keeping the headline name Park Medical centre, they moved in July but I only found out last week when I called the geo number for an appointment this week, previously when using this geo number I was answered by a human, but this time I was met by the menu, (I assume this is the same menu as the 0844 number greeted callers?), and whilst speaking to the receptionist I was informed they changed the number, (back to the geo), in July when they moved, although I had always continued to use the geo number and have never used the 0844 number.

When I went to the surgery yesterday it had 2 large notice boards outside proclaiming the geo number, and inside on their scrolling reference board gave the surgery number as the geo one

So this just goes to prove that the rubbish they spouted about “can only do menu systems on 0844” was a load of BS, as they are doing it now on a geo number!

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Dave

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Re: Doctors Surgeries
Reply #388 - Oct 28^th, 2010 at 11:57am

derrick wrote on Oct 28^th, 2010 at 11:50am:

derrick wrote on Mar 31^st, 2010 at 11:27am:

My surgery still has the geo number it had before they introduced their 0844 number, in fact it is on some, (?), doctors prescriptions! and on their website, although in the practice they have a scrolling board with various info on it including the "new" 0844 number.

I use the geo number when I need to phone them so cannot comment on how the 0844 works.

When I use the geo number it is answered pretty quickly by a human with them saying hello then the name of the practice, I then can ask whatever I like really, including booking an appointment.

So all in all it works well for me.

The Park Medical centre has moved premises, (about half a mile), it has changed the name to Cottam Lane surgery, although keeping the headline name Park Medical centre, they moved in July but I only found out last week when I called the geo number for an appointment this week, previously when using this geo number I was answered by a human, but this time I was met by the menu, (I assume this is the same menu as the 0844 number greeted callers?), and whilst speaking to the receptionist I was informed they changed the number, (back to the geo), in July when they moved, although I had always continued to use the geo number and have never used the 0844 number.

When I went to the surgery yesterday it had 2 large notice boards outside proclaiming the geo number, and inside on their scrolling reference board gave the surgery number as the geo one

So this just goes to prove that the rubbish they spouted about “can only do menu systems on 0844” was a load of BS, as they are doing it now on a geo number!

Err, so what are these numbers? Huh

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derrick Supreme Member Offline Posts: 1,124	Re: Doctors Surgeries Reply #389 - Oct 28^th, 2010 at 12:09pm Dave wrote on Oct 28^th, 2010 at 11:57am: Err, so what are these numbers? 0844 4720001 01772 726500
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