The Department of Health announced on the 14th September 2009 that all calls to NHS services should be charged at local rates – no matter what phone number is being dialled.

The conclusion is the result of the organisation’s 3 month public consultation into the use of 084 numbers in the healthcare sector.

The consultation ran between December 2008 and March 2009 and asked key stakeholders and members of the public whether 084 numbers should be prohibited for all NHS services. It received almost 3,000 responses and 90% of these said calls should be charged at local rates.

A a result of the consultation, the Department of Health is taking steps to ensure that numbers used in the NHS don’t cost patients more than regular landline numbers to call. However, precisely how they are going to do this is unclear at this time.

One of the main reasons that NHS services adopt 084 numbers is because they offer them extra functions on their phone lines which helps them deal with their callers more efficiently. Caller menu options is a popular call management feature (e.g. “press 1 to make an appointment, 2 for information about swine flu” etc.) and call queuing is also used so that patients can avoid hearing an engaged tone.

By using a non-geographic telephone number like an 084 number, organisations can also handpick a memorable phone number that their patients will recall with ease.

For total pricing transparency in the healthcare sector – the use of 03 numbers (http://www.windsor-telecom.co.uk/03-numbers.php) has been widely advocated.

03 numbers (http://www.windsor-telecom.co.uk/03-numbers.php) are non-geographic telephone numbers (like 084 numbers) that offer exactly the same call features as 08 numbers but cost people the same to call as normal landline numbers – even from a mobile phone. This is important when you consider that 44.5% of all UK calls are now made from mobiles according to communications regulator, Ofcom in its Market Report 2009.

Many healthcare practices now use 03 numbers (http://www.windsor-telecom.co.uk/03-numbers.php) including the National Blood Service, NHS Change4Life, Sefton PCT and the Brighton and Hove Cuty PCT Dental Helpline.

About the Author:

Mark Guy is marketing and PR officer at Windsor Telecom: http://www.windsor-telecom.co.uk

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – 03 Numbers Advocated as Department of Health Announces 084 Consultation Results