Phones and Patient Choice

Rather than bring you stories from the behind the NHS as I usually do, I thought I make a change by bringing you some stories that you may have missed this week.

Firstly, telephone numbers. Many of you may be aware that more and more NHS organisations are using non-geographic 0844 and 0845 numbers. The big issue with this numbers is the cost to use them.

Many people these days have call inclusive packages, or have to call the NHS from their mobiles. Even standard BT customers would pay hardly anything to call a local standard geographic based STD number. But the 0844/5 numbers are never included so you invariably end up paying for these numbers on top of your usual phone bill. 0844 numbers particularly attract a charging rate set by the owner, so you won't know what you are paying until you get the bill.

To top this, when ringing one of these numbers, you are usually connected to a menu system, and then placed on hold, meaning that it can many minutes before you are actually connected to a human being. I have personal experience of this. On Christmas Eve last year, I had to call my doctor surgery, and the only way I could call them was from my mobile. I was on the phone for 12 minutes, cost £1.20. Add that up over a year, and the costs can be high. And of course, when you are ill, and in no choice over having to call a doctor. Go for a test, and have to ring the number for results, then perhaps a follow up, or a repeat prescription and it just goes on adding up.

This week, the government announced that these numbers shouldn't be used for public sector services. All good and well, but they stopped short of banning them, so essentially it's business as usual for the organisations using them, and business being the operative word, as they are all making money out using these numbers. From you and I, who are already funding the services though your taxes.

The other announcement this week was that GP boundaries are to be a thing of the past. This is long overdue. The NHS barks on about patient choice all the time, but the one area that has lacked this option has always been your GP. If you have a problem with your GP, it's always been tough. This means of course that if you don't want to go to your GP for whatever reason, you're never going to the get the wonderful choices that are on offer AFTER your consultation, should you need them. Potentially this lack of choice could directly impact on your clinical care. But why shouldn't you choose where you wish to see a Primary Care Physician? For years I worked in London, and was unable to access a GP unless I took a day off work, which meant of course, I never went to the doctor. This element of choice exists in other primary care areas, I can choose a dentist, or optician where ever I like. So what's the difference?

GP's need this fundamental element of competition to ensure they keep fresh and focused and encouraged to offer new and customer driven services.

Perhaps when this change becomes effective, you might consider changing to a GP surgery that has a normal telephone number!