Millions of patients pay 40p a minute to phone their GP

Published 26th Jan 2010

Millions of patients are still paying up to 40p a minute to ring their GP, despite ministers promising to stamp out expensive call charges.

Up to 200 doctors' practices have switched to the controversial 0844 numbers in the past six months, flouting Government guidelines that no one should pay more than the cost of a local call to ring their surgery.

Charges to the premium rate lines can be as much as 40p a minute from a mobile phone and more than a fifth of the 8,000 surgeries in England, with around 10million patients registered, use them.

The Department of Health has ordered primary care trusts to amend GP contracts by December so phone charges are limited to local rates.

But despite the crackdown Network Europe Group, the largest provider of the premium rate lines in the UK, has installed 180 at surgeries across the country in the past six months alone.

Based on a surcharge of 2p per minute and an average call of just 60 seconds, the money made from the phone lines could be in the region of £4million a year.

Surgeries receive some of the income generated by the calls, although doctors insist they do not make a profit and the revenue is spent on installing and operating the systems.

Network Europe Group claims GP practices do not make a profit and the system benefits patients as they are kept in a queue, rather than getting an engaged tone.

But campaigner David Hickson said: 'There is no way of knowing whether the funds generated by these calls are lining peoples' pockets, rather than just paying for the running costs of the phone lines.
phone GP

'Patients are already paying for NHS services from their taxes. They should not be paying a second time.

'The costs really add up especially as most people these days use their mobiles.

'I've heard horror stories of people being made to wait on the line for 30 minutes which is costing them more than £12 just to book an appointment.'

In 2005 the Department of Health issued guidance after complaints that GPs were using 0870 numbers, which are even more expensive. Many then switched to 0844 numbers, which are still much dearer than a local call.

Ministers issued further guidance in 2008 that GPs should charge no more than a local rate of 3.25p a minute, although 0844 numbers cost up to 5p a minute from a BT landline.

Last September the Government announced a ban on numbers costing more than a local-rate call after an official review.

NHS Direct currently uses the higher-rate 0845 number but ministers are reviewing this policy.

Health Minister Mike O'Brien said: 'The government's position on this is very clear. Where there is evidence that callers are being charged more than the equivalent of a local rate call, then we expect GPs to take steps to stop it.'

Source: ' Daily Mail '

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