E-Petition: Surgeries use of expensive 0844 Numbers

DonnyDave

There have been quite a few media articles about GPs using NGNs in the local media. Some links to which are available on Say No To 0870.

Worcestershire PCT has announced that it is to investigate this practice.

Source, Worcester News: http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/display.var.1634166.0.inquiry_into_cost_of_calling_doctor.php

HEALTH chiefs have vowed to investigate GP surgeries who force patients to use premium rate telephone lines.

Worcestershire Primary Care Trust has launched an immediate investigation after your Worcester News revealed at least two practices - St John's House surgery in Bromyard Road, Worcester and Ombersley Medical Centre - were using expensive 0844 numbers.

Paul Bates, chief executive for the PCT, said the trust had no power to ban the numbers.


"The PCT itself cannot ban these numbers and cannot impose restrictions outside the national GP contract arrangements," he said. "Nevertheless, we are going to investigate their use and we will work with local GPs to identify alternative options which GPs will be encouraged to use.

"The PCT is aware that some practices in Worcestershire do use 0845 and 0844 numbers. We do not approve of this but cannot stop it."

nora

Thanks bbb_uk, I've just signed. My surgery is introducing this system in September

sundancer101

Signed - 4,700 sigs now

Heinz

10,384 now.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/NGN-use-by-GPs/

There's an interesting post re this issue on the SayNoTo0870.com forums. - see HERE

Homework

If you go into the surgery and ask for an appointment you are told you have to phone in the next day at 8.30 am. When you call you have to try quite a few times before you get through dialling the 0844 each time.

If the doctor asks you to attend in 6 weeks time to follow up your treatment you cannot make your appointment as you leave the doctors office. You have to go home and phone in nearer the time.

You cannot avoid paying. They won't let you have an appointment any other way.

Heinz

Homework wrote: »

You cannot avoid paying. They won't let you have an appointment any other way.

Because you, the captive audience, are lining their pockets!

We pay their £100k salaries - but they want MORE!

Help us out here Martin, put your weight behind the campaign.

Please.

JohalaReewi

Also on BBC news...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7023792.stm

Jemma-T

Homework wrote: »

If you go into the surgery and ask for an appointment you are told you have to phone in the next day at 8.30 am. When you call you have to try quite a few times before you get through dialling the 0844 each time.

If the doctor asks you to attend in 6 weeks time to follow up your treatment you cannot make your appointment as you leave the doctors office. You have to go home and phone in nearer the time.

You cannot avoid paying. They won't let you have an appointment any other way.

Do NOT accept that situation. Same thing happened at my surgery and they dropped the infantile phoning at 0830 after complaints. That is the dumbest thing in the world because it's obvious they'll need extra phone equipment if EVERYONE is forced to phone at the same time. Treating us like children. Anyway, my surgery dropped the 0830 thing and I've complained about the 08444 rip off prmium rate charges to which they (and my MP) look bemused.

It's illegal here in Scotland to use 0870 at a NHS surgery but 08444 has slipped through because people are ignorant.

UKoap

Jemma-T wrote: »

It's illegal here in Scotland to use 0870 at a NHS surgery but 08444 has slipped through because people are ignorant.

So too are the MSPs..They actually believe the 5p per minute fabrication.
I'm paying 10p connection and 10p per minute with Virgin Media.

I have asked my MSP once again for action and not surprisingly no response after two weeks.

thisoldman

i have been arguing with Lincs Pct, EHRC and OFComm for years about this.

The solution is do what i did .Sue them under sec 3 of the Equality Act

for how to do this without any legal expense contact
enlandhelpline at equalityhumnarights com

ian