0844 Numbers for Healthcare Providers

Making costly calls to health services

Key issues

In the period to September 2013 Healthwatch Kirklees recorded 27 service user comments about the use of 0844 telephone numbers by GPs and hospitals. This issue has also received widespread coverage in the local media.

This project will investigate issues relating to the use of premium rate phone lines including;

• Why Health and Social Care Services in Kirklees use 0844 numbers
• What issues this raises for customers, looking at for example the costs of calling these numbers
• What best practice looks like

How we can encourage all providers in Kirklees to move towards a local call rate model that allows equal access for all customers.

If you wish to contact us about this work please email info@healthwatchkirklees.co.uk or call us on 01924 450379