National Health Service to review phone numbers to improve service to customers
The choices for NHS services should the Department of Health’s public consultation prohibit the use of 0844/0845 telephone numbers in 2009.
Ten Reasons Why 03 Numbers are Being Recommended by the Department of Health
The department of Health launched an England wide consultation on the 16th of December to ask whether it should prohibit the use of 0844/ 0845 numbers to get in touch with services given by the National Health Service.
Increasing numbers of General Practices, pharmacies, Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and opticians use these 08 numbers as they offer improved call features like caller queuing and options for enquirers to ensure they reach the right department (e.g. press 1 for appointments, press 2 to speak to a nurse etc.)
The study (which closes in March 2009) often references 03 telephone numbers as the best substitute, as they offer the same additional features as 0844/0845 numbers, but essentially are priced at the same rate as regular landline numbers, even from mobiles.
This is particularly essential when 40% of all phonecalls made in the UK last year were from mobiles (Ofcom 2008).
0300 numbers are entirely for the public sector and are readily being used by many NHS businesses including Wiltshire Medical Services, South Staffordshire PCT and West Sussex PCT
Here are Ten facts why 03 numbers are being advocated by the Department of Health:
1. They are for the public as they are priced the same to ring as 01/02 numbers - even from a mobile.
2. Because 03 numbers are relatively new there are still a huge range of easy to remember 03 numbers available (they were launched in 2007).
3. The public trust 0300 numbers as they are exclusively for public sector organisations.
4. Organisations can cope with callers more efficiently, get useful data about their specific 03 number and ensure all calls are received by the correct person, first time.
5. You can set up 0300 numbers to record calls.
6. 0300 numbers can easily move with the organisation if it relocates.
7. Organisations can decide where they get their calls, by rerouting their 03 number to any UK landline or a mobile phone easily using the web/phone.
8. You can set up 0300 numbers to show you the geographic positions of callers and hectic times in the day by providing statistics packages.
9. All important calls will be answered if you can provide the caller with a queue when your busy.
10. They can frequently be inexpensive to run if you look for the provider with the most reasonable offering in the market.
What the outcome will be from the public survey will be very interesting and for NHS organisations that depend on the features of their telephone numbers, then at least 03 numbers or 0800 numbers provide a viable substitute if they should choose to stop using 0844/0845 numbers in the National Health Service.
Popularity: 19% [?]