§ Mr. PicklesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what financial help is available from the Government to assist general practitioner practices in the purchase of telephone systems; [160329]
(2) if he will issue guidance to general practitioner practices on the use of premium rate numbers by which patients call to obtain appointments and services; [160330]
(3) what estimate he has made of the number of general practitioner practices within the NHS which use premium rate telephone numbers by which patients call to obtain appointments and services. [160331]
§ Mr. HuttonDiscretionary funding is available from primary care trusts to enable general practitioners to update their telephone systems. Otherwise the cost of installing and running telephony are an expense which the practice—like all other businesses—covers from overall practice income. The Department holds no information on the extent to which premium rate numbers are used in general practice, and has no plans to collect such data or to publish guidance.