GPs told to hang up on phone deal

BEXHILL doctors will no longer be allowed to charge their patients more for calling the surgery.

Health Minister John Hutton has announced a ban on expensive telephone numbers that charge patients premium and national rates to call their local NHS healthcare services, saying sick people should not have to "pay over the odds".

Calls cost approximately eight pence per minute.

The surgeries in Little Common and Old Town are among 300 nationwide to adopt the new system - much to the fury of local residents.

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One patient told us. "My own objection was that this was done under the counter.

"I have spoken to so many other people and none had any idea whatsoever that this number was so expensive, they didn't twig that this system is costing them so much more.

"That is why I was so against it - it was underhand and iniquitous."

"I don't think the surgery should get away with it; it's morally wrong.

"And I don't want to have to listen to that music."

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National rate telephone numbers start with an 087 prefix, while premium rate telephone numbers start with 09.

The only special service numbers the NHS will be able to use in future are freephone numbers or those that offer patients a guaranteed low rate call, such as 0845 or 0844.

It is now expected that GP practices will change over to these numbers, a switch which should be completed by spring.

Around 500 will be provided to each surgery to help cover the cost of changing over.

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A spokesman for two surgeries said; "We will be acting within recent government guidelines and it is envisaged that the surgery telephone numbers will be changed to 0844 numbers by the end of April.

We understand from our system supplier that the matter is in hand and we are awaiting their further advice."