UK surgeries "still using premium-rate numbers'

Date: 03/05/2011

Many doctors' surgeries up and down the country are yet to make the switch to local rate numbers.

According to the Daily Mail, more than 1,000 practices are charging patients more than 40p per minute to make a call.

This is despite the Department of Health announcing in September 2009 that GPs would be banned from using premium rate numbers from April 1st.

Speaking to the publication, campaigner David Hickson suggested South Yorkshire, the West Midlands, Birmingham and Leicester are the worst affected areas.

He said some people are kept on the phone for 20 minutes when they ring their surgery.

"That's more than £8 for a single call. It's the elderly who will be hardest hit, or their relatives acting on their behalf," Mr Hickson continued.

This comes after the Star urged GPs to consider switching to 03 numbers as these cost the same amount as a local number, whether people use mobile phones or their landline.