GP practice asks if it should drop 0844 number

Tags: GP GPs PCT Pulse

13 Nov 2007

A GP practice in Worcester is asking patients whether or not it should keep its 0844 telephone number.

Ombersley Medical Centre is running a poll to decide whether or not they keep the 5p per minute contact number. All 4,070 patients are able to participate when they come into the surgery, and the poll has been promoted in the centre’s newsletter.

Practice manager, Debbie Weston, told Worcester News: “It’s a much better service as it is and the telephone system stops people having to wait. There are no queues. I think people realise that to charge one extra pence per minute is not that bad.”

To date, only four patients have requested the phone number goes back to an ordinary land line, and the poll will stay open until the end of the month. Weston said that the number had helped them deal with more cases over the phone.

Weston added: “Our telephone service is much more efficient now. We have been corresponding with the PCT and they have more or less agreed that we’re not charging excessively.”

The Department of Health has advised surgeries to steer clear of using 0844 numbers, except where practices are already tied to a contract: “We do not expect GPs to break existing contracts, but they should not be entering new ones that would involve patients being charged more than a local call,” a spokesperson said.

A spokesman for Worcestershire Primary Care Trust told EHIPC: “The situation is that as independent contractors the GP surgeries determine the type of telephone systems they have in their surgery. We will, as far as the future is concerned, recommend that they don't employ 0844 numbers. However, it may not be particularly easy for them to disengage themselves from certain contracts.”

Currently, 11 surgeries in the area use 0844 numbers and none have committed to reevaluating this.

One patient, Sue Davis from St John's who has used the St John's House Surgery for 35 years, appeared on BBC Breakfast to state her case.

She said: “I think the bad publicity may stop a number of GPs from adopting 0844 numbers. People will realise there's a general feeling in the country against doctors charging people for phoning them. The National Health Service is supposed to be free at the point of delivery. If you're ill and you have to pay for that call, then it's not.”

According to Pulse magazine, trusts in North Somerset and Leicester have also begun reviews into the use of 0844 numbers in surgeries. It is claimed that GPs in Leicester are stuck in seven year contracts with phone provider Surgery Line NEG.

Graham Stuart, Conservative MP for Beverley & Holderness, told the Mirror: “For many people calling their GP surgery can be stressful. They do not expect to be used as props for another money-making scheme.”

Reader's Comments

Free NHS - I think not

sikandar.azfar@nhs.net

14 Nov 07 10:11

Just a couple of points:

The myth that the NHS is free at the point of delivery is precisely that - a myth. What about prescription charges, eye test fees etc? some people in the NHS want to charge patients for missing appointments! Many people use mobile phones to contact my practice, many of these on contracts with free minutes, if you have a PAYG mobile use a landline its cheaper. We also offer internet messaging and online booking but if you have a dialup connection that's not free either. Bottom line is that it is never truly free to call your practice unless they accept reverse charge calls..... Second point, this is not a "money-making" scheme - the extra 1p per minute goes to the company supplying and maintaining the equipment not in our pockets. Dr Saj Azfar, Rochdale 0844 *** **** - as if!!

0844 numbers what else is there?

paul.smith@gp-n81030.nhs.uk

14 Nov 07 10:11

we changed several months ago, our old system had developed several un-traceable and apparently un-fixable faults. Coupled with the manuufacturer declaring the system obsolete, which made repairs and replacement increasingly difficult. We looked at what was required of us; transfer to out of hours service via customer (sorry) patient selection. Gold standard call answered within 5 rings, well I try and stop tham answering as soon as the phone rings but it is dificult so we only manage an average of 1 ring (must try harder) call logging and voice recording on demand. Call queing especially important in times of high demand. Filtered access to OOH cover during planned closures for staff training (patients advised of closure & re-opening then given a choice if it is an emergency) Detailed access to phone records previously in calculating advanced access figures we had to resort to the five bar gate process (interestingly this gave new meaning we now count in 17 bar gates - dont ask), QOF points for automatic transfer to OOH, previously with no filter, the OOH service locally could not cope with the number of people asking for appointments - now we filter calls patients have an option to press 1 for OOH or 2 to cancel an appointment, we have seen a decrease in the numbers opting for option 1.

In terms of the NEG sales pitch it is very much on the lines of the rate patients pay is the 'BT local rate' or sometimes 'BT Lo-call rate' plus a connection charge of 3p? The plethora of telephone service providers and mobile providers; coupled with the various call plans available do confuse people. The I pay £15 a month for all my calls and this is extra brigade in the forefront of complainers need to look at the £15 they are paying for calls if they only make 15 calls in a month (from home I would struggle to do more) so that would cost me £1 a call? Call a mobile for £15 a month I think not, this line of argument simply does not hold water. People should rather look to the over 300 call lines operated by the government using the 0845 number system for anything from disability benefit to immigration enquiries? pot kettle black? Paul Smith

08* numbers on mobiles

matthew.brealey@nbt.nhs.uk

14 Nov 07 10:11

Almost all numbers beginning 08 which are dialled on mobile phones are charged at a higher rate than on landlines, and do not come out of the free minutes included in contract mobiles. Thus it will always be far more expensive to use a mobile to call an 08 number.

Use of 08 numbers

john.may@nhs.net

14 Nov 07 11:11

Do practices contemplating changing their contact number realise that it is not possible to call an 08 number from outside the UK. I know this might sound a very minor issue but......

On a recent overeas holiday my wife became seriously ill and I neded to contact her GP urgently. The practice has an 0845 number and so I was not able to get through to them. I ended up having to contact a neighbour who (after a great deal of explanation) managed to get the practice to call me.

This could be put down to being just an amusing anecdote, but there are serious clinical risk implications here if you think about it.

What do other readers think?

I am disgusted by 0844 rush

14 Nov 07 21:11

For reasons given above. Elderly patients have little enough disposable income, without subsidising outgoing calls from GP practices. Local calls will be 0-3p per minute (the practice may be a friend and family), 0844 never below 5p per minute.

Patients ill abroad need to be able to get hold of their records, or advice from the practice.

Ofcom have specifically advised that it is a bad idea for a service which mostly provides for local people. I thought this was a key for GPs.

No suprise that GPs see the glossy brochures and benefits to the practice, but they forget the poor patient.

Missing a bigger point

15 Nov 07 07:11

0844 numbers are *always* charged at 5p a minute (more from some mobile networks).

A growing majority of people have BT or cable contracts that mean local calls are free, whether 24/7 or off-peak, meaning that for many patients, it isn't just an extra penny a minute, but an extra 5p a minute.

As for the extra revenue providing better telephony, I'd expect any service organisation to have decent phone systems as basic practice. Everyone else does.

As one patient said in the article, this is "Doctors charging people for phoning them". Dress it up how you like; that's what it is.

Not Just GPs

julian.spinks@nhs.net

15 Nov 07 16:11

I assume that, if GPs are forced to change, then a few other organisations will follow them including NHS Direct (0845), NHS patient services (0845-to help patients with NHS charges), The Attendance Allowance Helpline(0845), Winter Fuel Payment Helpline (0845), and The Labour Party (0870).

Re: Not Just GPs

20 Nov 07 21:11

I assume, Julian, you're being fascetious.

GPs are a "Local service" (Apologies for the League of Gentlemen tone) for Local People who can usually call their GP for free or for 1 or 2p a minute.

National services, such as those that you cite, offer better value to most users by having an 08 prefix.

I'm not GP-bashing. My faith in GPs is affirmed that once Practices became aware of the disadvantage to patients, most ditched the 0844s like a hot spud.

I just can't see any benefit in 0844 numbers to anyone but telecom companies and GPs using patients to subsidise telephony systems they should be providing anyway.