The use of 084 telephone numbers in the NHS

[GhostMjr]

The Government is considering banning the use of 084 numbers in the NHS. This is because patients who use 084 numbers are paying more than the equivalent cost of a local rate call to access services provided by the NHS. The Department of Health has issued guidance on several occasions which has made its position clear on this, and does not expect this situation to continue.
However, the Government recognises that the extra functions offered by an 084 number can improve access to services for patients. We wish to find out how valuable people think the enhanced functions provided by 084 numbers are, and how they might otherwise be provided without patients having to pay more than a local call rate for them.

see the full consultation document here:

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_091879

[Lameduck]

Guess they dont need to consult any more:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/jan/08/bt-customers-premium-rate-phonecalls
Seems they are scraping charges from the 15th Jan

[ghoule211]

premium rate calls always used to annoy the hell out of me.... that is until
 
I worked at HP on the BT contract and a colleuge (nameless) gave me this website addy
 
http://www.saynoto0870.com/

[T-Bag]

I hate 087 and 084 numbers. Pretty much everyone has access to either a mobile phone with minutes or a landline with inclusive minutes. It would be cheaper for the customer to ring a national number now than ring one of these special numbers. I understand when they were introduced there were differences in local and national rate calls so served a purpose. Now ringing them is often not included in minutes, and cost more money. Grrr.

[Blunt]

I hate 087 and 084 numbers. Grrr.

this may help