Patientline

Stompa

Does anybody know if there's any way to reduce the obscene 49p per minute cost of calling patients in hospital via Patientline? There seem to be conflicting reports as to whether things like 18185, 18866, 1899 etc. work with Patientline.

Thanks

Stompa

Buzby

No, unfortunately. Patientline know the 'real' numbers of their installations and the only way round it is to discover what this number is. When Skype originally launched their Skype In service, if the Patientline phone user called the Skyype-In number, the REAL phone number was shown instead of the Premium 'presentation' number. Unfortunately Skype remedied this and only the expensive number was then shown.

It is still possible to obtain this number by devious means - for example BT's operators are shown the 'real' number, as are those calling 999/112 but that's not a legitimate reason to call for this information, but with a little ingenuity, this number can be found and used to call the correct geographical number... some nice patients even stick the real number on the underside of the handset!

As you would exoect, short code accesses are invariably banned, but 0800 numbers may still provide a free alternative.

Stompa

Buzby wrote: »

No, unfortunately. Patientline know the 'real' numbers of their installations and the only way round it is to discover what this number is. When Skype originally launched their Skype In service, if the Patientline phone user called the Skyype-In number, the REAL phone number was shown instead of the Premium 'presentation' number. Unfortunately Skype remedied this and only the expensive number was then shown.

It is still possible to obtain this number by devious means - for example BT's operators are shown the 'real' number, as are those calling 999/112 but that's not a legitimate reason to call for this information, but with a little ingenuity, this number can be found and used to call the correct geographical number... some nice patients even stick the real number on the underside of the handset!

As you would exoect, short code accesses are invariably banned, but 0800 numbers may still provide a free alternative.

Thanks that's useful info. Oddly, when the patient calls me, my caller display shows a normal geographic number (01.....) rather than the 070... number followed by an extension number that I'm supposed to phone to get through to them. I wonder if simply calling that 01..... number might work? (seems pretty unlikely!).

Buzby

Errors are common - BUT CLI cannot display extension numbers, so it looks as though (possibly) you're being given an alternative route, but why not dial the number and ask for the extension anyway. As it is, you cannot be switched to a higher tariff for the call unless you redial. Some NHS Trusts have insisted on this, so you may be lucky!

Stompa

Buzby wrote: »

Errors are common - BUT CLI cannot display extension numbers, so it looks as though (possibly) you're being given an alternative route, but why not dial the number and ask for the extension anyway. As it is, you cannot be switched to a higher tariff for the call unless you redial. Some NHS Trusts have insisted on this, so you may be lucky!

Thanks, it's worth a try. I guess there's no chance that the same extension number will work? (they'll undoubtedly have thought of that one!)

Buzby

Assuming it is an 01.02,03 number you may find the call answered asking for you to enter the extension code, if so there's no way you can be charged more for the call, only by redialling. DO keep us posted!