U-turn on issue of 0844 telephone numbers in GP surgeries
Posted by Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness, at 13:52, Fri 25 January 2008:
Local MP and Health campaigner, Graham Stuart, has welcomed a Government u-turn on the issue of 0844 telephone numbers in GP surgeries.
Graham introduced a debate in the House of Commons on Monday night on the use of 0844 telephone numbers in GP surgeries. These are more expensive than a standard local call, and can cost patients 5p per minute from a landline and up to 40p per minute from a mobile.
More than 1,500 GP surgeries in England have switched to using the expensive 0844 and 0845 numbers and it is believed that the new system is being installed in up to 40 surgeries every month. Government services such as the Department for Work and Pensions and the Tax Credit Office also use 0845 numbers, as does NHS Direct.
The Government Minister present, Ivan Lewis, recognised that key public sector services should not be using high-cost telephone numbers which overcharge members of the public. He gave a cast-iron guarantee that when the contract next comes up for the phone system for NHS Direct, it will not be renewed at an 0845/46/47 or similar high rate telephone charge.
He also requested that MPs submit to the Department any evidence they may have about the impact of high call charges in GP surgeries on the elderly, the disabled, the poor and the sick. Graham has now submitted a small report, which will include letters he has received from more than 20 constituents who have expressed their concern about the phone charges.
He said, “I’m happy that the Department has accepted that these overpriced phone charges are unacceptable and that GP surgeries should be reverting to the cheaper options available. I’m also reassured that the Minister will be reviewing the evidence submitted to him which explains in detail the suffering these call charges have inflicted on people, especially the elderly and those on low incomes. I’ll be keeping an eye on the situation to ensure that the Minister’s actions match his words and that the promise on the NHS Direct phone charge is met, but for now I’m happy that the issue is being taken seriously by Government.”
If you would like to contact Graham about any issue, please call 020 7219 4340 or email graham@grahamstuart.com
To find out all the latest on Graham's campaigns, visit www.grahamstuart.com
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