We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
0844 calls to doctors
36square
Posts: 286 Forumite
in N. Ireland
Has your GP set up an 0844 number? Mine has and it costs a minimum 11p to book an appointment. A local rate call costs a min 6p with BT so who's collecting the difference. Not our fat cat GPs (average annual income around £100K) I hope.
0
Comments
-
I believe entering into any new contracts is illegal, as in, it breaches their contracts which prevent charging patients. An 0844 number would allow a GP surgery to gain revenue from its patients.
I have no problem if my local surgery used it, if it weren't in breach of their contracts. I also have no problem with what GPs earn. Many other jobs which include a lengthy qualifying period also have high remuneration packages.0 -
As far as I know, there is a government site that has all GP practice details in the public domain. Will try to find it.Life in this world is, as it were, a sojourn in a cave. What can we know of reality? For all we can see of the true nature of existence is, shall we say, no more than bewildering and amusing shadows cast upon the inner wall of the cave by the unseen blinding light of absolute truth, from which we may or may not deduce some glimmer of veracity, and we as troglodyte seekers of wisdom can only lift our voices to the unseen and say humbly "Go on, do deformed rabbit again.....it's my favourite". © Terry Pratchett in "Small Gods"
Founder member of the Barry Scott Appreciation Society0 -
Life in this world is, as it were, a sojourn in a cave. What can we know of reality? For all we can see of the true nature of existence is, shall we say, no more than bewildering and amusing shadows cast upon the inner wall of the cave by the unseen blinding light of absolute truth, from which we may or may not deduce some glimmer of veracity, and we as troglodyte seekers of wisdom can only lift our voices to the unseen and say humbly "Go on, do deformed rabbit again.....it's my favourite". © Terry Pratchett in "Small Gods"
Founder member of the Barry Scott Appreciation Society0 -
I wonder then who IS profiting from the 0844 number that 36 Square member
posted about and what reason would they have for changing the number.
My GP hasn't started this and I hope they dont as we are kept waiting
on line to be transfered to either appointments or perscriptions or lab
results or so on and so on.:j Norn Iron Member 303 :j0 -
Has your GP set up an 0844 number? Mine has and it costs a minimum 11p to book an appointment. A local rate call costs a min 6p with BT so who's collecting the difference. Not our fat cat GPs (average annual income around £100K) I hope.
My own personal opinion is that those GP's who do set up this service are well out of order. They get paid well as it is.
StebizAsk me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies0 -
my gp has an 0870 number
I understand the concepts of cooking and cleaning
........ I Just dont understand how they apply to me!0 -
Cassy if your gP is using 0870 it's breaking the rules, my health board says though 0844 is allowed. A lot of out of hours emergency doctor services use 0870.0
-
Like I said guys, the vast majority of Health Centres in NI have their "geographical" lines listed on the CSA webpage I posted above. I don't know who profits from the 0844/0845/0870 numbers but I imagine it's all part of a contract with a phone company - we'll give you a years line rental and set up your switchboard for x so long as we change your number to one we make more money out of.
If your Health Centre is one of those with an 0844 number PM me and I'll try to forward you a geographical number if I can get hold of it.
CheersLife in this world is, as it were, a sojourn in a cave. What can we know of reality? For all we can see of the true nature of existence is, shall we say, no more than bewildering and amusing shadows cast upon the inner wall of the cave by the unseen blinding light of absolute truth, from which we may or may not deduce some glimmer of veracity, and we as troglodyte seekers of wisdom can only lift our voices to the unseen and say humbly "Go on, do deformed rabbit again.....it's my favourite". © Terry Pratchett in "Small Gods"
Founder member of the Barry Scott Appreciation Society0 -
Thanks for that link Robothell, thats very useful. :T
RavenI'd like to teach the World to sing in perfect Harmony
:j 
0 -
thanks robothell. I checked the site you mentioned but it only gives the 0844 number for my GP. I know these are only front numbers and that there's a normal number behind them if I could find out what it is.0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 352.5K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.7K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 454.5K Spending & Discounts
- 245.6K Work, Benefits & Business
- 601.5K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177.7K Life & Family
- 259.5K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.7K Read-Only Boards