Next steps in the campaign to stop the use of 0844 numbers in our Health Service

At last night's Council meeting, Liberal Democrat Councillor Julia Roberts asked that if, when the discussion on funding for a new hospital took place, consideration would be given to ensuring that the telephone number would not be a premium rate telephone number, like the new 0844 one for the University of North Tees and Hartlepool.

This would ensure that those residents ringing the hospital would have "More services provided locally that were easily accessible".

Note to Editors:

The current hospital has recently changed telephone number and is now using an 0844 number. These calls are charged at 6p per minute from a BT landline and up to 40p per minute from some mobiles. They are not included in any free call plans that residents may have with their telephone providers.

Further, the number cannot be dialled from some overseas countries so a patient or hospital abroad who needs access to medical records in this country has to use the even more expensive 087 number, as do any friends or relatives who want to enquire about the health of patients in this country. That does not make services "easily accessible".

Each telephone call received by the hospital using this telephone number generates an income for the Trust. Income which is paid for by our residents who have no alternative but to use such numbers, after all, they can hardly take their business somewhere else.