Those Expensive Phone Calls...
I can do a lot of my Dr's surgery stuff via the internet now and avoid making phone calls...unfortunately, not nurses appointments so I had to make a call today just to arrange for my bloods to be taken and to be taken to the hospital for the appointment with my Consultant. It's a local call. It cost me £2 because it's a Premium number!
There are only six Dr's surgeries using such numbers out of seventy in the area. I think that it is wrong.
Then I phoned a big hospital out of the area and that only cost me 20p on my mobile. Possibly less...
I have since been informed that 0844 is not a Premium number so perhaps in future I'll call via a land line only my ISP who took over the line rental and calls(they are usually free)but they charge for 0844 calls.
As I write this there are big rumblings of thunder going around the sky but it has brightened up somewhat.
Now the sad news...
One of the taxi drivers who liked mum and was very upset about what happened told me today when he picked me up from the supermarket that he had taken his Father home from having a little drink at the British legion last Friday I think.
Some time later the office contacted him telling he was needed at the home of his Mum and Dad as his Mum had fallen in the house. As he arrived the ambulance did with it's flashing blue lights. He went in to find that his Mum had died in the house.
So much sad news at present or it seems that way. No wonder everyone is so down.
Update:I could not eat it all but I enjoyed what I had of it. My main meal today was a mushroom omlette, hot dog sausages, baked beans, tomatoes, potatoes, fried bread and brown sauce. I was just finishing off what was left from yesterday.
I think I have room for a lolly of some kind with a kind of ice cream filling...I'll have to see what is the freezer. Found a Magnum Infinity - chocolate and caramel lolly. They must have been on offer as normally the price would mean I would avoid them...
Relaxing, listening to a documentary a documentary about Kenny Ball...
There are only six Dr's surgeries using such numbers out of seventy in the area. I think that it is wrong.
Then I phoned a big hospital out of the area and that only cost me 20p on my mobile. Possibly less...
I have since been informed that 0844 is not a Premium number so perhaps in future I'll call via a land line only my ISP who took over the line rental and calls(they are usually free)but they charge for 0844 calls.
As I write this there are big rumblings of thunder going around the sky but it has brightened up somewhat.
Now the sad news...
One of the taxi drivers who liked mum and was very upset about what happened told me today when he picked me up from the supermarket that he had taken his Father home from having a little drink at the British legion last Friday I think.
Some time later the office contacted him telling he was needed at the home of his Mum and Dad as his Mum had fallen in the house. As he arrived the ambulance did with it's flashing blue lights. He went in to find that his Mum had died in the house.
So much sad news at present or it seems that way. No wonder everyone is so down.
Update:I could not eat it all but I enjoyed what I had of it. My main meal today was a mushroom omlette, hot dog sausages, baked beans, tomatoes, potatoes, fried bread and brown sauce. I was just finishing off what was left from yesterday.
I think I have room for a lolly of some kind with a kind of ice cream filling...I'll have to see what is the freezer. Found a Magnum Infinity - chocolate and caramel lolly. They must have been on offer as normally the price would mean I would avoid them...
Relaxing, listening to a documentary a documentary about Kenny Ball...
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 6:19 pm
5 Comments:
I can't believe that your doctor's surgery phone number is a premium one. That's disgraceful. If it was my doctor's number, I'd be writing to my local MP about it or, at least, to the local newspaper.
GPs are getting so greedy. They are on huge salaries so there's no need to make even more money out of patients.
It has been very hot and sunny here on the London/Kent border. I hope summer reaches you too soon, Gildy.
VQ,I may take it up with the MP but in general I am fortunate that I don't phone too often.
The original phone system was where you phoned at 8am and if the line was engaged, you redialed until your call was answered and then they would tell you what position in the queue you were but they only allowed a small amount to hold on and of course if you phoned and the line was engaged you were not charged.
I know a lot of complaints happened when the new number was introduced. Time passes and I suspect it has now been in place for years. Too long!
If I find it costly, it must be the same for the retired and low income families...but again if I went there by taxi its no cheaper than the phone call and I'd have to come back from the surgery so the call is a little bit cheaper.
Anthony, what do you call a premium number?
Nick
Hi Gildy,
In reality it should be a free-phone number and there should also be a "normal" number for the Doctor's. I bet the premium number is for certain non essential/non emergency stuff. Check the website for their normal number, if it isn't there then definitely make a fuss.
Span,Everyone else seems to have given up regarding this, I don't know why. I assume they make money on the calls which is probably good for them(after all)how many calls will they receive throughout the day?
So ok if it went back to an ordinary number or an 0800 they lose income, it would not cost them so they are charged for using a normal line.
Nick, it's an 0844 number.
When you call it you get a message saying welcome to the surgery, then you are read out a message telling you if you have chest pains to call 999.
Then hear a little tune, then they read a list of options...press 1 for emergencies, press 2 for appointments, press 3 for(I forget)press 4 for test results.
Then when you press say 2 you are told that you are being transferred to the surgery.
Then you still have to wait for the call to picked up which if there are people ahead of you or the receptionist is talking to someone at the desk you will be waiting to be answered.
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