Wales GPs urged to use local numbers

Date: 06/05/2011

GP surgeries in Wales are being encouraged to switch to local numbers.

It has been revealed that 60 practices in the area still using expensive 0844 or 0845 numbers that cost up to 41p per minute to call, Wales Online reports.

This is despite the introduction of new regulations stating that such establishments should get rid of these digits.

Steve Allen, chief officer of Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Community Health Council, pointed out that one student had a mobile phone bill of around £30 after having to call her GP on a 0844 number.

Author of the NHS Patient blog David Hickson said: "This is a case where the NHS' principle of 'free at the point of need' is being breached at present."

Wales is not the only place experiencing this problem, as the Daily Mail recently reported that over 1,000 surgeries throughout the UK are still charging patients more than 40p per minute to call them.